SAFETY OF APPEARING AT THE DAY OF JUDGMENT, /tzy IN THE Righteoufnefs ofChrift, C.X v^/ vx \r*< ) OPENED AND APPLIED. BY SOLOMON STODDARD, Pastor of the Church fnyorlhampton, Mass. ?hil. Hi. 9. Yea, doubtlefs, and I do count all things but lofs, for the excellency of the knowledge of (Thrift Jefus my Lord, for whom I have fufiered the lofs of all things, and do count them but dung,that I may win Chrift, & be found in him,not having mine own righteoufnefs, which is of the law ; but that xvhichis through the faith of Chrift, therighteoufoefs which is of God by faith. NORTHAMPTO N, PRINTED BY THOMAS JY1. POMROY, For S. Sf L. BUTLER. 1801-. TO THE CHURCH o F CHRIST A MAIN part of the work which the Lord Je~ fus has committed to me at prefent, is, to be doing fen ice to your fouls, and the fouls of your children , to be dire&ing, quickening, and encouraging of you in the way unto eternal life : Which \vork re- quires the ut molt- care and diligence, not only hi refpeft cf the recefiity that you (land in of that blcfledncfs which is thedefign and tendency there- of; but alfo, in refpeft of that difficulty that you will unavoidably meet withal, in your purfuit of that blefTednefs. However, many men that know not their own hearts, and are utterly unexperienced in the way of life, may fancy it to be a matter of eafe to go to heaven, as if there were but a ftep between them and heaven, and, upon that account, are bold, to vi To the Church O/ to call off all care about it at prcfent , yet, fuch as have tried it, and are walking in that way, can upon plentiful experience, witnefs to what Chrift has taught us, that Jlrail is the gate, and narrow is the ivay lhat Itadetb unto life ; every thing in corrupt nature is oppofite to it : and, upon this account, he requires minifters to ufe their utmoft induft.ry in their work j Luke xiv. 23. Compel them to come in. I have travailed in this work among you for many years, and I may fay, without ofteatation, that I have obtained mercy of the Lord to be faithful : I have made it my bufinefs to gain fouls to Chrift, and build them up in faith and holinefs ; principally in- fifting upon fuch things as have reached the heart of religion ; and I reckon it one of the choked mercies of the Lord towards me, that I have not run in vain % nor laboured in vain : I have great caufe to bow my knee to the Father of our Lord Jefus Chrift, and blefs his name, that he has made me an inftru- mcnt of bringing many among you into faving ac- quaintance withhimfelf ; and I count it worth the while to fpend the refklue of my days in promoting the welfare of your fouls. It is in purfuance of this defign, that this ftnali treatife is publiflied 5 (not that my care is confined to yourfelves,! owe a regard to the profperity of oth- er places.) The fcope of this difcourfe is to clear up the way of falvation by Chrift ; I meddle not with in Northampton. vii with thofe falfe doctrines that have been invented by men, in oppofition to this truth : the Lord hath been pleafed to keep thefe churches found in the faith, and does not yet lay a neceffiry upon hismin- ifters here, to fpend their time in the confutation of fuch erroneous opinions : but I have made it my work to eftablifh your hearts in this truth, to fatis- fy your conferences from the fcripture in the fafety of your reliance upon Chrift, vindicating the fame from thofe fecret workings of unbelief that are wont to rife up in the hearts of men, that you and others may grow up unto all the riches $f the Jull ajfurance of under/landing^ and the acknowledgement of the myjle- riesofGpdy even of the Father, and of Chrift : that you may be armed againfl thofe temptations where- with your faith is wont to be affaulted ; and learn to live in all conditions upon the righteoufnefs of Chrift. If the Lord plcafe to blefs this difcourfe, togeth- er with other endeavours of his fervants in the coun- try, both in preaching and writing, to be a means to bring many fouls to an hearty clofing with Jefus Chrift, that will be the great fecurity of the country againft that degeneracy that is begun, and againft thofe fuperftitious practices that are entertained in other profefling places : the life of religion takes beginning in the fpiritual knowledge of Chrift, and is maintained by the fame : as long as we are built upon this rock, the gates of hell will not prevail a- us. The *iii To tie Church of CHRIST, &e. The Lord, who has watched over you in the time of days when you lay open to ths fury of the: Heathen ; and that has given fpecial tokens of his prefence with you in his ordinances, both in the days of your former paftcr, and alfo in late times; continue to own and ble r s you, and enrich you with all the graces of his fpirit j and give you faith to fit under the fhaclow of Chrift with great delight: "Which is the prayer of him who is Your Servant for JESUS sake, SOLOMON STOOD A RDv PREFACE. IT is thought proper to give a fliort account of the following Treatife and its Author, neither being much known in Britain. Mr STODDARD was paftor about 60 years of a church at Northampton, New-England, where he died, 1729, in the 86th year of his age. His fer- mons were fearching and experimental, yet rational and argumentative ; and often peculiarly fuited for awakening the fecure, direfting in the great work of Salvation, and aflifting the doubtful in judging their fpiritual ftate. Thrice in the courfe of his miniftry, there were remarkable feafons of general religious concern, and of numerous conversions a- mong his people. It is no wonder that one fo dil- igent and fuccefsful in the work of the Lord, was highly efleemed and beloved by a church, mod of \vhofe members had been brought up under his min- iftry. Though his Ration was in a remote corner of New-England, his ftrength of genius, depth of judgment, acutenefs in reafoning, and knowledge of divinity, were fo uncommon, that, in difficult cafes, his advice was much fought and valued, and his in- fluence great through the whole of that country.- By x PULP A c E. By his diftinguifhed talents and high reputation, he profelyted many to an opinion, oppofite to the gen- eral fcntiments at that time, and, as his grandfon President Ed wards has fliown, oppofi:e alfo to Scrip- ture, viz. That fome v/ho fufpccl, or known them- felves unconverted, may, notwithstanding, lawfully partake of th~ Lord's Sapper. Dr Increafe Mather and others, whojultly difapprovec! andoppofed tha: notion, with a laudable candor and impartiality, ad- mired and recommended his practical writings. His mod valuable work. The Safety of Appearing in the Rightewfnefs of Chrl$, \kxizz in a fhort time printed at Bofton,* was never, till now, publifhed in Britain. It examines not learned, critical, or philofophical objections againftthe doctrine of Imputed Right- eoufaefs , but, in a plain and practical ftrain, opens the grounds ^nd encouragements of faith, refolves the doubts of a jealous and unbelieving heart, and unfolds the fubtile workings of a fclf-righteous fpir- it. In thefe views, it is the befl treatife I know on the fubjeft , though thofe will think othcrwife, who relifh the beauties of language and compofirion, more than they regard the importance and juftnefs of thefentLr.ents, I agree with fome of my worthy brethren, of dif- ferent denominations, that there are inaccurate ex- preffions, * / l:nn\'j nrt the da'c of the first edition. The srcon,-?,. from xfaUiJus ispnnled, vjas 1729 ; the third 1742. P R F F A C E. xi preffions, efpecially Ch. 5. & 7. as to faith being the condition of the covenant and our evangelical righteoufnefs. But, becaufc the Sun hath dark fpots, (hall I defpife its light ? Shall I refufe inter- eftmgmftruHon,becaufe a teacher only knows in part and prophefies in part ? I will not make a man an offender for a word, though I may oiflike the \vord, and with he had not ufed it. The general tendency of the book is to (hew, that our claim to the pardon of fin, and acceptance with God is not founded on any thing \vrought in us, crafted by us, but only on the righteoufnefs of Chrift. The au- thor therefore means not thofe ambiguous expref- fions in the dangerous fenfe in which fome have uf- ed them : and the book contains a falutary antidote againfl the poifon which thefe expreffions have fometimes conveyed. If it is aflted, why I did not alter or expunge thefc obnoxious expreffions ? I re- ply, Becaufe I had no right to do it ; and fuch free- doms with dead authors, appear to me prefumptu- ous and unjuft. May the divine bkfling render this treatife as ufeful in Scotland, as it has been in America ! May the thoughtlefsbe brought to a ferious inquiry, wherewithal fhall I appear before the Lord, and pre- fent my felf before the Moft High God ! And may the true anfwer to this queftion be received as a faithful faying, and worthy of all acceptation ! JOHN ERSKINE. Edinburgh, June 11,1792. THE SAFETY OF APPEARING IN THE EIGHTEOUSNESS OF JESUS CHRIST. ~-~^*<^s:^>>$^^ar- ticu^arly that had a reference unto Jesus Christ ; espe- cially sacrifices : but the knowledge t)f the respect they had to him, was yet quite worn out among them, and the light of nature is utterly deficient in this particular: that light is sufficient to discover to us that God is pro- voked with us, that knowledge flows from our under- standing of the nature of God, and the experience which we have of our own sinfulness : but the way of reconcil- iation does exceed the discovery of reason : the light of nature does not teach us that there is any way of reconcil- iation ; much less does it teach us what it is : the light of nature may discover to us, that many pretended ways of acceptance are delusions ; for it is contrary unto reason to imagine that God will take up with such things : but to determine what is the way, is clearly beyond the most raised understanding of man, without divine revelation.- upon a supposition that there was a possibility of any oth- er way of acceptance for sinners besides this by Jesus Christ (and I know no ground from Scripture to say that God was confined to this way ; that he was necessi- tated, if he would save sinful man, to take this course in erder to his salvation) it will unvoidably follow, that the light of nature will leave man short of this knowledge: how Chap. I the Righteousness of CHRIST. 3 how can the light of nature reach the free determination of the will of God? But besides this, the knowledge of the way of our acceptance with God through Christ, does necessarily suppose the knowledge of those two great mysteries ; that of the holy Trinity, and that of the incarnation of the Son of God, which do utteily surpass all the dictates of the light of nature : " Flesh and blood reveal not those things, but the Father that is in heaven/* Mat. xvi. 17. Hence the Gentiles were utterly mistaken as to this way of reconciliation ; and, as Paul speaks, " became vain in their imaginations/* But besides these, there are many others, who have been advantaged wiih the light of the gospel, that have beed unsatisfied in that account which the Scriptures have given concerning the way of our acceptance, and have pita ded for such methods of salvation as the ivordoj God is utterly a stranger to ; withal wresting many pas- sages of scripture to vindicate their own delusions. Thus as the Jeius of old, so especially the Papists andSociniam now, go about to establish a righteousness which the gos- pd dues n(.t ackiKHVivdg^ ; and fix upon a way of accept- ance with God, that has no belter foundation than then own sophistical reasonings. This is not to be attributed to any obscurity in the Scripture,, in the mailer of cm justification ; but greatly to the pride that men have it their own understandings. Carnal reason suggests tha other ways are more probable than that which is commend- ed to us by God: carnal reason is full of objections a< gainst the doctrine of our acceptance by Christ's light- eousne^s ; and men know not how to deny ihc-ir own reason ; they do not carry a sense upon their hearts of the 4 77tf Safety of Appearing in Chap. I. the imperfection? and dsceits of their own reason ; they know not what dim-sighted tilings they are : carnal rea- son is a thing much idolized : many men have not learn- ed that lesson, to be satisfied in the testimony of Gcd > but make their understanding the rule and measure of principles in religion ; lay go much weight upon their own reason, that they judge things must be so as their reason represents them, loath to entertain any thing in mat- ters of faith, that they do not see with their own eyes : partly, to the enmity of the hearts of men unto this way of acceptance by Christ: this way of salvation is very suitable to our necessities, but no wise suitable to our natural dis- position : man's heart would sooner fall in with such a way of salvation, wherein he might have somewhat of his own to glory in, Tuis way tends much to the exalting of God, and abasing and emptying of man : the spirit of man is to setup his own righteousness, and not be behold- en unto the righteousness of another; which makes men unwilling to believe this doctrine of our acceptance by Christ : and this opposition of the heart he-eto, prepares men to receive the contrary doctrine. Arguments that have little strength in them will take great impression unon men of corrupt minds ; where there is strength of affections, plausible pretences will gain consent ; slender proofs will serve the turn where men's spirits arc strong. ly biased. But it were well if non else did reject this doctrine, but only those that do professedly plead against it : there be multitudes that do join in making this confession, that are far from entertaining it : how high soever men's pro- fessions be, there are, no more that do thoroughly believe thu Chap. I. ike Righteousness of CHRIST. & this, than are regenerated and effectually called : there is a kind of persuasion of it which carnal men may have, which persuasion the Scripture sometimes calh faith ; but it is such a persuasion as leaves men really ignorant of this truth : some men have a persuasion of it wrought by tradition, because it is handed down to them from fornxer generations, and generally received in the places where they live ; or by those that they have a particular esteem for : upon the same account that a Turk gives credit unto the principles of his religion : Jer. ii. 11. The doctrine is received upon the authority and testimony of man y which leaves the soul under such uncertainty, as quite obstructs the spiritual efficacy of the truth upon their hearts. There is a persuasion that arises from rational convictions : their reason tells them that other ways of acceptance are frivolous ; that of all ways that are pre- iendecl, this must needs be the true way : and they can strongly argue that there is acceptance to be obtained in this way, from the accomplishment of the covenant of works by Christ, fiom the design of God to magnify his grate, &c. ; but this persuasion is not sufficient to encour- age a soul to venture himself on Jesus Christ. There is also a persuasion that ariseth from common illumination : besides that light which is let into the hearts of men in their conversion, there is a more than ordinarv illumina- tion bestowed on some sinners ; the Spirit of God gives an affecting sight of the way of salvation, enlightening natural conscience with a great discovery of the way of life by Jesus Christ r this is called " a tasting of the good word of God," Heb. vi. 5. ; the fruit whereof is a re- joicing in the Gospel, Mat. xiii. 20. This illumination is B b only C The Safety of Appearing in Chap. F. only by an extraordinary assistance of men's natural rea- son, not by giving an eye of faith unto them : neither is (his light sufficient to satisfy ail the objections which may afterwards arise in (he heart : hence such men, if after- wards they have a thorough sight of their hearts, dare not venture their souls on Christ, till God, by a further work of the Spirit, has convinced them of the certainty of the gospel : but there is no man, how great soever his profes- sion, how large soever his knowledge is, that continues in a natural condition, docs thoroughly believe this truth. This I shall clear up by two considerations. 1 . Because all those that do thoroughly believe this, ivill icdiatety venture themselves upon Christ : As there is no persuading of men before to come to Christ, so there can be no keeping of them from Christ after they are convinced of this. The assurance of the truth of the gospel is ever ac- companied with a powerful operation of it upon the heart, 1 Thes. i. 5. God teacheth men this truth of the gospel, and thereby prevails with them to come to Christ : in that way it is the Father puts forth his drawing power, John vi. 44, 45. <' The gospel always works effectually \vheieit is believed and received as the truth of God, I Thes. ii. 13. God carries on all his works upon the hearts of his elect in a way of conviction: The devil's way of working is by blinding of man, by prejudice and false reasons ; but God's way of working is by teaching of men : Thus God carries on preparatory work, and thus he carries on saving work. God deals with men as with rational creatures, and prevails upon their hearts in a way suitable to those natures, though he put forth acts of Chap. I. the Righteousness of CHRIST. 7 of power yet nol of violence on the will; but he gains the consent of that, by the discovering of those reasons that are of sufficient weight to sway it : indeed, the un- derstanding and will in man being faculties of the same soul, and really one and the same thing, the same act of God upon the soul (hat puts light into the understanding, does also suitably incline the will : God works all holy inclinations in the will by convincing us, and making us, believe those truths that are the grounds of them ; we be- lieve and love, believe and repent, believe and fear, be- lieve and submit, believe and so venture on Christ : God convinces us of the truth of the gospel, and that there is sufficient righteousness for us in Christ, and so we come to him, John xvi. 10. j\nd therefore all those that are assured of the truth of the gospel, do close with Christ, and are regenerated : and this leads us to the interpreta- tion of several passages of Scripture, where such men as assent to the doctrine of thegospelare said to be in a good condition. Rom. x. 9. " Jf thou shall confess with thy mouth ihe Lord Jesus, and believe with thine heart that God raised him from the dead, Ihou shak be saved :" 1 John iv. 15. " Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God dwelieth in him, and he is in God:" 1 John v. 1. " Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ; is born of God :" 1 John v. 4. " Who is he that overcomeih the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God?" These passages are not to be understood of that faith which is common to professors ; that faith . may be separated from holiness, which James calls a dead faith, Jam. ii. ult. but of that assur- ance that is wrought in the heart by the Holy Ghost. A t The Safety of dp fear in* in Chap. I. A second thing that clears if, is, That when natural men fall undtr the awakening work of the spirit, they immedi- ately call tlic gospel, and in particular this truth, of the safety of our appearing in Christ's righteousness, into question. Though they might seem before to themselves and others well satisfied ; yet whenever they come to lie under the sense of God's anger, and conscience is writ- ing bitter things against them, they are full of scruples and objections against the gospel : it is a long time usual- ly before such persons can give entertainment to this truth ; and when it is done, it is wrought in them by the Mighty power of God : all that ministers can urge upon them will not take place ; the choicest evidences will not sink into them till God opens their hearts, as he open- ed the heart ofLydia ; sometimes the hearts of such men will be objecting against this way in general, as if there were not salvation for sinners in this way ; they scruple how the righteousness of one will avail for the salvation of another, &c. but principally their scruples are respect- ing themselves in particular : they are not satisfied that God calls them ; that there is enough in lesus Christ for the washing away of their sins ; that God would take it well for them to venture themselves on Christ : they think they must be better first, and more broken for their sins. This is directly contrary to the doctrine of the gospel; for the gospel does not only teach in general, that there is salvation in Christ for sinners, but that it is safe for any that will, be they never so blind, hard-hearted, impeni- tent and rebellious, and guilty, to venture themselves on the righteousness of Christ : men do not only oppose the gospel, when they question whether believers shall be saved, Chap. I tht Righteousness of CHRIST. 9 saved, but when they question whether there be sufficient encouragement for them to come to Christ. There are two sorts of natural men that are pretenders, not only to the belief of the truth of the gospel, but also to trusting in Jesus Christ, which upon examination will be found to deceive themselves : one sort are, many un- wakened sinners, some of whom are not so much as civil- ized, nor of moral conversation ; yet they profess to place their trust in Jesus Christ : such as those the apos- tle James expostulates with, Jam. ii. 14?. ad fincm : but whatever such men say concerning their putting their trust in Christ, the real foundation of this hope is an ig- norance that they have offended God. They may please themselves sometimes with the general notion that Christ has wrought out redemption for sinners ; and make a lit- tle use of Christ's dying for sinners to quiet their hearts; but the bottom of their confidence lies in this, that they are strangers to the provoked justice of God ; they do not think that God i-? angry for their sins ; they live a life Of carnal security, P2?- L, 21, 55. & xi. 9. The other sort are self-righteous sinners, who say they put (heir confidence in Christ; but their great encourage- ment is, that they have attained somewhat that does draw the heart of God unto them. There are many self- righteous men, that do not profess any trust in their own righteousness : they have been so trained up in the con- trary doctrine, that they could not quiet their own hearts, if they knew that they did it : but yet, under a notion of resting upon Christ, they rest upon themselves : their religious qualifications are their main stay : they are far from putting themselves upou a strict trial by the law : but 10 The Safety of Appearing in Chap. I. but they imagine some excellence in themselves, and that is their encouragement to go to Christ. The Jews made account their works would do much toward their salvation; the grace of God making up the defects thereof, Rom. ix. 32. ; so do those trust partly to their works, partly to Christ, making a mixture of the law and gospel : and both these sorts of men, notwithstanding their pretences, are Grangers to the safety of appearing in Christ's righteousness. And as natural men do not truly believe this doctrine ; so saints themselves have but little belief of it : the people of God may justly fall under thai reproof, Luke xxiv. '25. tf Fools and slow of heart to believe." There are times when God is pleased abundantly to assure the souls of his people of this truih, 1 The?, i. 5. the fruit where- of is a sweet and quiet resting upon Jesus Christ: but the natural unbelief of the heart is darkening that light which God has put in ; and though it cannot utterly ex- tinguish it, yet it raises many mists that do obscure it. Paul himself, that seems to be sciOntl to none in ilie knowledge of Christ, intimates that he was sensible of a great want here, in that expression, " that I may know him and the power of his resurrection/' Phil. iii. 10. There are these frames of heart that the people of God are subject unlo, that do plainly demonstrate, that there is but little faiih concerning {.his doctrine. Theirs* is a slightly frame concerning if, as if it were not a matter of much moment whether it were true or no : Sometimes when saints are meditating of it, or hearing of it, and the invitations of grace, there is a scnsel regardless Chap. I. tfa Righteousness of CHRIST. 11 regardless frame, as if it were not worthy of observation : discourses of that kind are not relished, but become light food; whereas if it were received by a lively faith, it would be affecting, being a thing of greatest concernment : the doctrine of the gospel when entertained by faith, is as a cordial to the soul, it is meat and drink to it. Cant, ii. 3. " I sat under his shadow with great delighl." This doctrine is full of sweetness and comfort. 1 Pet. i. 9, 16. Acts i. 34. The more assurance men have of the truth of it, the more comforting power it has on the heart. The second is a self -righteous frame ; for as this spirit reigns in many natural men, so it prevails much in saints : there is a great aptitude to be comforting of themselves in the hopes of acceptance with God from their own graces and duties, not only as an evidence, but as that which does ingratiate them with God ; hence they are more ready to trust in God when under the sense of gracious frames, and their holy carriages, than at other times ; whereas, were they under the lively apprehensions of the certainty of this way of salvation by Christ's righteous- ness, they would see there was no need of these things to commend them to God. And were there not secr-et jeal- ousies about the sufficiency of Christ's righteousness for them, they would not be so ready to catch at any appear- ance of somewhat in themselves to commend them to God ; such carriages are to be laid to the charge of an unbelieving heart. / The third is a discouraged frame ; Christians are many- times much over-borne with this frame, their spirits are sunk VI The Safety of Appearing in Chap. L sunk within them, lest they be not upright, for fear they never had a thorough work of regeneration : there are many more immediate occasions of this ; some.irnes be- cause they have not a distinct knowledge of the several steps of the spirit of God under the work ; sometimes because they see so Iklle sanctification ; sometimes be- cause they imagine that God does not deal with them as with such as are truly converted ; he does not answer their prayers, comfort their souls, meet them in ordinances as he does others : but the very foundation and root of their discouragement is their doublings of the truth of the gos- pel ; for we may- observe that men under discouragement are still harping upon the greatness of their provocations, and their unworthy carriages : they run in a legal strain ; they are still insisting on the multitude and aggravations of their sins. Had men but a spirit of faith prevailing in them, these would be humbling things, but not discoura- ging: men would not so harp on this thing, but would see enough in Christ to quiet their hearts, Psal. Ixxi. 16", 45. Isaiah xxiv. And accordingly it is observable that when a saint is under greatest discouragements, if God does but open his eyes to see indeed this way of salvation by Christ, he will no longer stand insisting upon his fears, but, with comfort and joy, cast himself on Christ : the inward discoveries of the gospel make his temptations va- nish ; yea, he does not only rejoice in Christ, but can sometimes discern that sincerity which he was so doubtful of before. Indeed the doubting of the gospel does not only make the hearts of men fail, when they are faithful of sincerity, but it has often also a considerable influence in- to those doublings about sincerity, and hinders men from seeing those evidences that are discernible, of their up- rightncss' Chap. II. the Rigliteousness of CHRIST. 13 Tightness. By all which it does appear, that it is a mat- ter of solemn care, that sinners be convinced and assured of the truth of this doctrine, that it is safe appearing in the righteousness of Christ ; and that saints also \>v further convinced, that they may grow up " to all the riches of the full assurance of understanding to the acknowledgment of the mystery of God, even of the Father and of Christ ;" as the apostle speaks, Col. ii. 2. which i.s the design of this present Treatise. CHAP. II. TWO THINGS PREMISED, 1. Ihe possibility of the Salvation of sinners ; it is not beyond God's Mercy, nor contrary to his justice. 2. What is intended by the Righteousness of Christ. TO make the way to the subject proposed more plain, I shall premise two things. 1. TJiat there is a possibility of the salvation of sin- ners. For a sinner, when hn conscience is awakened, lies open to that temptation among others, that it is im- possible for such an one as he to be saved : and these feai s arise upon a double account. The (1.) is, he fears it is beyond the mercy of God t pardon him : his sins are so greai, iliat they have turned C away M- The Safety of Appearing in Chap. II. away the heart of God from him, that God cannot find in his heart to pity and pardon such a sinner as he is. Man is very prone to limit the mercy of God, and entertain low and dishonorable thoughts of his grac % e, es- pecially when under a sense of his anger : but such an imagination as this is altogether groundless. What his merciful purposes are towards this or that particular man, is beyond us to determine, till lie make it known : but no man has cause to question the sufficiency of God's mercy, in order to his pardon and salvation. There is an infinite ocean of mercy in his heart, sufficient for all sinners. To clear up this, I shall shew first, Wherein the mer- ciful nature of God does consist, and then shew you the greatness of it. For the first ; The merciful nature of God, is a divine perfection, whereby he can find in his heart to shew mercy if he pleases. A merciful nature in man, is a bent and inclination of heart unto the exercises of mercy ; the heart of a man is biassed, set and bent that wa^ : but we must not conceive this of God. The merciful pur- poses of God were the free actings of his own will. God was an absolute free agent, either to bestow mercy or deny il as he pleased : if he had naturally an inclina- tion to shew mercy, he could not have for born to shew mercy without going contrary to the inclination of his own heart. Tho exercise of mercy does not flow neces- sarily from the merciful nature of God ; but he exer- cises grace freely from his sovereign will and pleasure : there is nothing in God's nature that does compel him to shew mercy to any man ; God had been infinite in mercy Chap. II. the Righteousness of CHRIST. 15 mercy, if it had pleased him never to exercise any : there are voluntary inclinations in God to exercise mercy, but no natural inclinations : but his merciful nature is that whereby he can find in his heart to ex- crcise mercy ; God is not of such a nature as to be inca- pable of pitying and being kind. There is no oppo- sition in the nature of God unto acts of mercy ; his na- ture is such, as that he can be willing to shew kind- ness and do good. The merciful nature of God is a power to be willing to deal graciously with his crea- tures. God is of such a nature, as that he can be willing to do good to those that are unworthy, willing to pardon those that are guilty, fyc. and this is called his merciful nature. The words of Moses serve to clear up this, Num. xiv, 17. IS. 19. "Let the power of my Lord be great according as thou hast spoken/' say- ing, " the Lord is long suffering, and of great mercy, forgiving iniquity, transgression, and sin : pardon; I beseech thee, ihe iniquity of this people, according to the greatness of thy mercy/' And the greatness of God's mercy, or merciful na- ture consists in this, tliat lie can find in his heart to do any thing that is an act of mercy. His merciful nature reaeheth to every thing that is an object of mercy ; there is nothing which it would be an act of grace or mercy to do, be it never such vvor/derful grace, but God can find in his heart to do it.* It is true, he can- not pardon sin in a way contrary unto justice ; for that would not be an act of grace, but of injustice : noth- ing that is an act of grace does exceed the grace of God ; and herein lies the greatness of his mercy. The great- ness 'i.6 The Safely of Appearing iu Chap. ll. r.ess of God's power lies in this, that he can do what- ever is possible, whatever is an act of power. So the greatness of his wisdom lies in this, that it extends itself lo every thing that is knowable. The greatness of his justice lies in this, that he can find in his heart to do every thing that is an act of justice. So the greatness of his grace consists in this, that there is no gracious act, but it fall* within the reach of his gracious nature : and herein the grace of God doth exceed the grace of any roan cr angel. Is it an act of grace to send a Mediator for lost sinners, to bring worthless man to eternal glory, to pardon multitudes of sins, sins against light, love, cov- enant, to convert all a man's children ? These, and whatever else of the like nature may be thought on, fall vviihin the reach of divine mercy ; yea, the reason why lie does not pardon the sin against the Holy Ghost, the MP.S of devils and reprobates, is not for want of mercy, but because of the sovereign determinations of his own will : Rom. ix. 1,5. - That God is thus great in mercy, may be made man- ifcst from these tn>o considerations. First, That there is no corruption in God to make 1dm incapable of performing any act of grace. Men cannot find in their hearts sometimes to do acts of mercy, be- cause their lusts are too strong for them ; they will not suffer them ; their corruptions bear such sway, that they cannot be willing. Sometimes men's covetousness is such, that they cannot shew acts of mercy ; so it was \\\\hNabal 9 1 Sam. xxv. Sometimes pride and passion so prevail, that they cannot forget an injury : they have a spirit Ch&p. II. the Righteousness of CHRIST. 17 a spirit of revenge, and cannot satisfy their hearts, without avenging themselves. Bat God is altogether free from corruption ;. there is no evil disposition in him to hinder him from doing good, Mat. vii. 11.: lie has no evil properties to be an impediment unto him. Men are ill conditioned, which makes them unwilling to do good : but God is of unspotted purity and holiness, Isia. vi. 3. God is not subject to any wrongful passions. The scripture does often attribute a nger unto him, but that must be understood so as is agreeable unto the nature of God. Whatever injuries God receives, he never is trans- ported with passion : He can overlook millions of offen- ces ; his grace is such as can prevail over all our guilt. Hence his grace is said to reign; it overcomes all those objections that are in the way of the exercise of it, Rom. V. 2! . There is nothing of any unruly passions in Go:-, 1 John iv. 8. God is not subject to envy : lie can find in. his heart to advance his creatures unto eternal felicity : he does not scorn or disdain, that dust and ashes should have fellowship with him. God is not of such a spirit, that he cannot bear^that man should be happy, but he can delight to make him so, Mic. vii. 18. By this, we have gained one step; namely, that the grace of God docs exceed the grace that is m sinful man. Which may be of advantage to us ; for there is that vani- ty in the heart, that we are prone to measure the mercy of God by our own, and to allow him no more grace than we find in ourselves, and others like ourselves : which God witnessed against, when he tells us, " That his thoughts are not as our thoughts," Isai. Iv. 3. B b jBut >"3 The Safety of Appearing in Cfcap. IT. But (here is a further consideration that will make ife appear, that the grace of God does exceed the grace of the most glorious angel in heaven, which is, 2. The unlimited perfection of God 9 s nature. The a;;- ge Is have a stincted measure of perfection : the excelling of their nature is not sufficient in order to some acts of grace : as in other respects, they are not sufficient, so ihey have not grace enough to pardon such wrongs as God pardons ; to be at such cost for man's salvation, as God has been at. It is true that they do approve of and rejoice in all those acts of grace that God does ; but such actions do exceed the grace that is in their hearts : they have such imperfection of grace and mercy, that they can- not perform those acts of mercy that God does : there- fore, where God would shew his sufficiency to pardon the iniquities of his people, he tells them, that he is God, Hos. xi. 6. This infiniteness of God's grace is the foundation of our faith, for such things as we are utterly unworthy of: Psal. 36. 7. " How excellent is thy lov- ing kindness, O Lord ! therefore the son's of men put their trust under the shadow of thy wings." There is an in- finite ocean of grace in the heart of God, whereby he can bestow the greatest gifts upon his creatures, that their natures are capable of. This is plain from that absolute liberty which the scripture does ascribe unto God in all his actions. " He does all things after the counsel of his own will," Eph. i. 11. "I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy/' Rom. ix. 15. Which shews there is no limitedness in his perfections, to be any restraint un- to him ; or a reason why he does not pardon and save these and those. His glorious excellency is such, that no unworlhiness Chap. II. the Righteousness of CHRIST. 1 unworthiness nor provocation can overcome his mercy j but there is a sufficiency of grace in him, for any thing- that is an act of mercy. A (2.) thing that makes awakened sinners fear that there is an impossibility of their salvation, is, an appre- hension thai it is contrary to the justice of God, and not re* concileable with the sentence of the law. God stands bound in faithfulness to see the law made good : and they are to seek about the consistency of the law and gospel ; the clearing up of which difficulty, I shall refer unto the neat chapter. At present it may suffice to say, that God in his word declares it to beconsistent with his justice, Ronii iii. 26. " That he may be jusi, and the justifier of him that believeth in Jesus." It is a great help unto con- science, to see how the justice of Gotland righteousness of the law,, is preserved in the justification of sinners : but where the manner of it is not well understood, con- science has matter of satisfaction, in that God testifies that it is so. 2. The second thing to bepremised is, What we are t* understand by the righteousness of Christ. And that which is intended hereby, is the whole course of the obe- dience and sufferings of Jesus Christ. By the righteous- ness of Christ, we are to understand I hat which he per- formed as a surety : His mediatorly righteousness. This righteousness is spoken of, John xvi. 10.. (( Of right- eousness, because I go to my father." Rom. v. 18. " By the righteousness of one, the free gift came upon all, to the justification of life." Dan. iv. 24-. " To bring in everlasting righteousness." Upon this account it is, that he SO JAtf Safety of Appearing in Chap. II. he is said to be " made for righteousness to us," 1 Cor. i. 50. To be " the Lord our righteousness/' Jer. xxiii. 65. This is sometimes called " the righteousness of God/* Rom.x. 3. Rom. iii. 21. ; either because Christ who wrought it out for us, is God as well as man ; or because it is a righteousness of God's providing, in distinction from a righteousness of our own working out. Some- times it is called the " righteousness which is by faith/' Heb. xi. 7. because faith is the condition whereby we come to be interested in it. Sometimes they are joined together : and it is called "the righteousness of God which is by faith/' Rom. iii. 22. Phil. iii. 9. That this righteousness of Christ doth not only intend his active obedience, but likewise his sufferings, is mani- fest from hence, because the righteousness of Christ is that whereby we are justified : it is by that that we come to be righteous in the sight of God, Rom. v. 1 S. And not only the active obedience of Christ has an influence into our justification, but his sufferings also : The apostle does ^nce seem to attribute it to his obedience,*tlom. v. 19. " By tne obedience of one shall many be made righteous. " But this does not exclude the sufferings of Christ from ha- ving a part in our justification. Obedience may compre- hend his sufferings, for in them he was obedient j or else, when it is said, that by " his obedience we are made righteous/' that part of justification may be understood, which does consist in giving a title unto heaven. There are two parts of justification ; one is absolution from guilt, the other is declaring men heirs of life. This lat- ter may be intended, which is the fruit of the active obe- dience of Jesus Christ : or else by obedience, as one principal Chap, IL tfe Righteousness qf CHRIS^T. SI principal part of Christ's righteousness, the whole may be intended : as, when we are said to be justified by his blood, his active obedience is not excluded ; but the suf- ferings of Christ have an influence into our justification, as well as his obedience ; for we were in such a state, that active obedience alone was not sufficient for our justi- fication. When man was in innocency, he needed only active obedience for his justification ; but man fallen, needed more for his justification than obedience; he needed satisfaction, somewhat to pacify the provoked anger of God : no mere obedience would make a recom pence for sins ; for the law threatened death for them. The holy life of Christ could not satisfy for sin ; it was something of another kind that the law required ; namely the suf- ferings of death : and the Scripture doth abundantly wit- ness unto the influence of Christ's suffer ings into our jus- tification : we are "justified by his blood/' Rom. v. 4. So we are said to be redeemed, cleansed from sin, recon* cilecl to God, to have our sins purged with his blood, which was typified by the sacrifice under the law ; so that the sufferings of Christ are intended, as well as his active obedience, by his righteousness. And the sufferings of Jesus Christ may very properly? be called a part of his righteousness ; partly, because m them he did fulfil the command of God, and that duty that lay upon him as our surety. Tkat was one of the thingg he undertook as our Mediator, to " redeem us from the curse, being made a curse for us." As it was his duly to fulfil the precepts of the law for us,- so likewise to bear (he penalty of the laiv ; if he had failed in thaf, he fead not answered his office obligations. He stood bound It 2 The Safety of Appearing in Chap. II. to God to undergo the punishment of our sins ; God ex- pected that from him, " to make his soul an offering for sin," Isa. liii. 10. And he was under a command to lay down his life : as the second Person in the Trinity, he was equal to the Father ; but, as Mediator, he was commanded by him, John x. 18. " I lay it down of myself ; I have power to lay it down, and power to take it again ; and this commandment have I received of my father." Jesus Christ fulfilled the law of the Me- diator in his sufferings ; and therefore he is said f< to he obedient unto death, the death of the cross," Phil, ii. 8. The same is implied in that expression, " He learned obedience by the things that he suffered," Heb. v. 8. The meaning is not, that he learned to obey, but he learned by the sufferings what a difficult thing obe- dience was : it was a part of his obedience to suffer, and so may be called his righteousness ; and so indeed there is righteousness in those sufferings of the saints, which, in a way of holiness, they do ex- pose themselves unto. And those sufferings of Christ may be called his righteousness ; partly because by them he became legally righteous : the sins of the elect were imputed unlo him, and he was legally guilty. He stood bound to answer for the sins of his people ; and accord ingly was apprehended by the justice of God, and the punishment of the law inflicted upon him, by bearing of which he has paid the debt, and the law hits no more power over him. B\ his sufferings, he is become right- eous in law, and discharged from any more sufferings forever : having suffered the punishment of our sins, the law has acquitted him, has nothing at all to object a- gainst him ; he has answered ihe law, and is now reputed legally Chap. III. the Righteousness of CHRIST. 2$ legally righteous. Hence it is, that presently upon his suffering, he is said to be justified ; "justified in his spir- it/* 1 Tim. xiii. 16. that is, by his resurrection unto life. By his sufferings he has delivered himself from that guilfc that lay upon him ; and is become in the eye of the law righteous. CHAP. III. The proposition, That it is a safe thing to appear in the Righteousness of CHRIST. Arg. I. Because CHRlSTs Righteousness is the Rigkt* eousness of the Law. THE subject of the present discourse is, That it is & safe thing to appear in the day of judgment in the right- eousness of Christ. It is safe to go before the judgment- seat of God, having no other righteousness to plead for our justification, but Christ's righteousness : this right- eousness is sufficient, and will prevail for the salvation of all those that have an interest in it : we may with quiet- ness depend upon it, as that which will serve our turn : there is no other righteousness that can be come at, that it is safe appearing in. Our own personal righteousness is many ways defective, and incapable of being the matter of our justification. That righteousness that is performed by the c aints-h acceptable unto God ; but it cannot pro* cure the acceptance of their persons : the acceptance of itself 24 %(? Safety of Appearing in Chap. Ill* itself is procured by Christ; " sacrifices acceptable to God by Jesus Christ/' I Pet. ii. 5. But we may jusily venture ourselves upon the righteousness of Christ : other foundations will prove sandy, but the righteousness of Christ is a firm foundation for faith ; and therefore it was Paul's great care that he might" be found not in his own righleousness which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ/* Phil. iii. 9. The truth of which PROPOSITION, I shall demonstrate by the following Arguments. Arg. I. The righteousness of Christ is the righteousness that the law required of us : it answers ike demand that the law makes of us, and therefore it is safe appearing in it. There Is a necessity of our having the righleousness of the law : God lias stated the law to be a rule of his pro- ceeding towards man, wherein he has set down the terms upon which he will bestow life and execute death : in that covenant, he gave not only a law unto man, but likewise to himself, from which he will never swerve. And it is utterly vain for any man to expect acceptance with God, without that righteousness which the law re- quires , until the law be answered, man can lay no claim to blessedness * neither can God in fathfulness bestow blessedness upon man. God has bound himself to see the law fulfilled to a tiitle ; this law cannot be abrogated lior disannulled. Saints indeed are not under the con- demning power of it ; because it has been fulfilled for them : bvi* yet the law stand* in force as a rule, according to which God will distribute eiernal rewards. Matt. v. 19, Chap. III. the Righteousness of CHRIST. 25 19. " One jot, or one tittle of the law shall in nowise pass, till all be fulfilled." Man may break the law, but God will fulfil it ; the law is never out of date, and a> it cannot be abrogated, so neither can it be moderated. God will never take up with less satisfaction than the law admits of, nor with a less perfect obedience than the law requires : God does, under the gospel, accept of imper- fect obedience, but not for justification. There can be no varying from the utmost and highest demands of the law : ihe law is inflexible, and must be exactly attended: it abates nothing : so lhat a regular conscience can never give peace until the law be ful'y answered : the law gives sin a condemning power, 1 Cor. xv. 56. "The sling of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law :" therefore ihe law must be answered And it is sufficient for us if we have the righteousness of the law ; there is no danger of our miscarrying, if we have that righteousness. The security of the angels in heaven is, that they have the righteousness of the law : and that is a sufficient security for us if we have the right- eousness of the law. If we have the .righteousness of the law, then we are not liable to ihe curse of the law., we are not threatened by the law ; justice is not provok- ed wi'h us : the condemnation of the law can take no hold upon us ; the law has nothing to object against our salvation : that soul that has the righteousness of the law, is out of the reach of the threatnings of the law; where the demand of the law is answered, the law finds no fault ; the law curses only for want of perfect obedience, Gal. iii 10. Yea moreover where there is the right- eousness of the law, God has bound himself to give eter- D nal 26 The Safety of Appearing in Chap. Ill* nal life ; such persons are heirs of life, according (o (he promise of the law : the law declares them heirs of life : Gal. iii. 12. " The man that doth them, shall live in them." Now, that the righteotumets of Christ is that righteous less which the law rcquireth of us, is clearly held out iu ihe word of God, Rom. viii. 4. where the apostle sets down the end of God's " sending his Son in the like- ness of sinful flesh, and for sin condemning sin in the flesh ;" which is, that the " righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us." The meaning of it must needs be, that we might be made righteous by the imputation of Christ's righteousness : This righteousness is said to be fulfilled in us, inasmuch as we have fulfilled it in our sure- ty. o Horn. x. 4. " Christ is the end of the law for righteousness io every one that believeth." The end of giving Moses his law was to drive us to Christ, in whom alone we have righteousness of the law. This is also clearly held out in all such Scriptures where Christ is said to be our righteousness, and that we be made righteous by his obedience : for righteousness, consists in answer- ing the demands of the law. It is only that righteousness that the law demands of us, that can denominate us legal- ly righteous: if Christ's righteousness were not that which the law requires of us, we could not be accept- ed as righteous upon that account ; and the scripture speaks particularly of Christ's sufferings, that they were those which the law required of us, Gal. iii. 8. " Christ lias redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us :" that curse that he redeemed us from, is that he endured; and that was the curse of the law. And Chap. III. the Righteousness of CHRIST. >? And indeed herein lies the excellency of Christ's right- eousness, whereby it is a foundation of so much comfort* and support unto saints, that it is that righteousness that the law requires of us : this is that consideration from which conscience does take satisfaction. But there lies one great objection against this that the apostle Paul seems to make an opposition between the righteousness of the law, and the risghteousness of faith, and between justification by the law, and justification by grace, and by faith, and by the promise : " So a man is not justified by the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ/ 1 Gal. ii. 6. " Received ye tli2 spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith," Gal. iii. 2. "The law is not of faith," Gal. ii. 12. te If the inheritance be of the law, it is no more of promise," Gal. iii. 5, !S. " If there had been given a law, that could have- given life, verily righteousness should have been by the law," Gal. iii. 21. " That I may 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 6od by faith," Phil. iii. 9. "By the deeds of the law shall no flesh be justified in his sight; but now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested," Roni. iii. 20,21. " We conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law/* Rom. iii. 28. rs If they that are of the law be heirs, faith is made void," Rom. iv. Ik " If by grace, it is no more of works," Rom. xi. 6. By these places, it seems there is no need of having the righteousness of the la\v in order to our jus- tification. The resolution of this doubt does depend upon the right j28 The Safety of Appearing in Chap. III. light understanding of what is meant by the law, and by the works of the law. By the law he intends a mere covenant of works, abstracted from that gracious way of accomplishing of it, which God has revealed in the gos- pel ; and thus the law is utlerly incapable of justifying of us, "it is weak through the flesh/' Rom. viii. 3. And the way of life by the law, is distinguished from that way by faiih ; for though the covenant of works leaves room for salvation by Christ, and does no way forbid such a way of salvation, yet it provides no Media- tor for fallen man ; yea, is utterly silent as to a Mediator for him ; leaves sinful man in a perishing condition ; de- nouncing the curse against him ; shews him no way of salvation; tells him not of any possibiliiy of salvation. The covenant of works made no provision for salvation, but it gave way to man's salvation, in case the righteous- ness of it were fulfilled by a surety ; so that the way of life by the law and by the gospel, are divers ways but not apposite; the covenant of grace supposes a covenant of works, and finds out a new way of fulfilling it ; yet the practice of those who sought justification by the covenant of works alone, was contrary to the doctrine of grace ; " whosoever is justified by the law/' that is, seeks to be justified or conceits that he is justified by the law, is "fallen from grace/' Gal. iv. 5. The law and gospel are placed by God in a glorious subordination one to the Other ; but men, by seeking to be justified by ihe cove- Bant of works alone, do set one in opposition to the other. By the works of tlie law the aposlle understands, such works as men themselves do rerform in conformity to the law : This is evident, because he calls them " his own righteousness fhap..III. the Righteousness of CHRIS*. 29 righteousness which is of the law/' Phil. iii. 9. And these works are utterly incapable of justifying us : Tho' Christ's works, according to the law, are the matter of our justification, Rom. v. 19. ; but our personal conform- ity to the law, being attended with so much imperfection cannot justify us : We must seek our justification by the righteousness that the law requires, but not by our own works according to the law. hrael is not blamed for seeking after righteousness, that is, the righteousness of the law ; but because they sought it " as it were by the works of the law/' Rom. ix. SI, 32. For the fuller clearing up of this truth, that Christ has performed the righteousness that the law required of us, whereupon the satisfaction ofour consciences does so much depend ; I shall briefly speak to these particulars : viz. 1. What is the Covenant of Works. 2. What difference is there betiveen the Covenant of Works, and the Covenant with Adam. 3. that the Covenant of Works did admit of a Mediator. 4>. Thai Jesus CJtrist is a Mediatot. 5. Christ's work as Mediator, itxts not to res-tore man (a his former condition ; but to bring him to Salva* tion. 6. That Christ has performed the Righteousness of thv taw. 7. That he performed the Righteousness of the Law for u D d 3. That 30 7-Ae Safety of Appearing in Chap. III. 8. Tfiat this is sufficient for the Elect of God in all ages. 9. That He has so purchased Salvation, that the Elect cannot fail of it. The first thing to be considered is, What is the Covenant of Works ? as it relates to Man. I shall not now consider it as the Angels are concern- ed in it, and I shall give this description of it : The cov- enant of works is, an everlasting rule of righteousness, wherein God requires perfect obedience as the condition of life, and for bids all disobedience on pain of death. The explication of this may be laken up in these propositions. Prop. I. The covenant of works is not an agreement be- tween God and man, but a rule of righteousness between them. Sometimes the word covenant is taken for a prom- ise without condition, Gen. ix. 11. but frequently for a law with promises and threatenings. Persons indeed are not taken into the covenant of Grace without their actu- al consent ; but this is not necessary in other covenants, as in the covenant that God makes with the infant seed of his people, Deut. v. 3, 29. Dent. xv. The children of God's people are born under this covenant, that is, un- der that law with such sanctions : so in the covenant of \vorks there is no need that man should consent. Adam did not give his consent antecedently to the making of the covenant, for he was made under it ; and there are millions of men that never gave any consent unto it, yet stand as firmly bound by it as if they did. God beiag infinitely Chap. IIL the Righteousness o/ CHRIST. 31 infinitely man's superior, and having a legislative power over him, might make him under such a covenant with- out asking his consent. This covenant is nothing else but a righteous rule, which God, by his own authority, has constituted between himself and man, according unto which he will distribute rewards and punishments to men. In this covenant God has given law unto himself marked out a path for himself to walk in. He was at liberty ; might, if he had pleased, have forborn to exact punishment for sin ; might have annihilated man after a course of perfect obedience ; might have chose in some other way to have rewarded his obedience ; might have bestowed blessedness on him a an obsolute free gift with- out any condition at all : but in this covenant he has bound up himself, and laid down a rule according to which he will proceed. Prop. II. The covenant of works is an everlasting rule of rigteousness between Godandman. This is a rule that God never will vary from: it is not proper to say that the covenant of works is abrogated ] it is very true that the condemning power of it respecting believers is taken a- way, but that is by the fulfilling of the law f not abrogating of it : the covenant of works does yet continue in its full force ; it takes place against the sins of ungodly men, being executed to the full upon them, Mat. v. 18. It has taken place against the sins of the Elect, upon Jesus Christ : the curse having been executed upon him, Gal. Hi. 13. " He hath redeemed us from the curse, being made a curse for us." And God does bestow eternal life upon none, but those who have fulfilled the righteous- ness of the law in their surety : eternal life is given as a recompence of Christ's righteousness, Rom. v. 21. Prop. III. 32 Tfie Safety of Appearing iii Chap. lll r Prop. III. This covenant of works could not be known by our first parents airy other wa-y than by divine revelation : Because both the promises and threatenings of this coven- ant depended on the free will of God ; so that whatever abilities of understanding Adam had in his first estate,, they were insufficient to make a discovery of them. The precepts of the law were written in ihe heart of man when he Was first made, and so they are still, though not so legibly. Rom. Ji. 15. " They shew the works of the law written in iheir hearts." And this I do not understand to be any distinct work of God from that of creating the soul ; for the precepts of the law, excepting that one of the sabbath, have a self -evidencing power. So that sup- posing man to have an understanding-, he cannot but have some knowledge of them ; and supposing him to have an understanding not corrupted, he cannot but have a clear knowledge of them. But the promises and threat- enings of the law are not understood by any thing writ- ten in man's heart. Conscience indeed, by its own nat- ural light, does give evidence, that sin is offensive to God, and so affrights men with expectation of wrath : but it cannot witness the certainty of judgments, much less of eternal condemnation, except it had received some fur-* ther light either from the works or word of God. Prop. IV. The covenant of works does require obedi- encz, only as the condition of life. There are several other obligations upon us unto obedience, some antece- dent to the covenant of works ; as, the infinite excellen- cy of God, the work of creation : Some of them con- sequent ; as, the dying love of Christ, God's giving converting grace, and many the like : but the covenant of Chap. III. the Eighteousmss of CHRIST. 3$ of works requires it only as a condition of life. And hence, though the covenant of works be fulfilled for us by Jesus Christ, so that there is no engagement on us to perfect obedience, as it is a condition of life ; yet those antecedent obligations do remain upon us, and we owe obedience still as a natural due, Psal. xcv. 6. That primitive obligation, as we are creatures, will lie upon us forever, besides those other obligations that God has laid upon us since. Prop. V. The covenant of works requires perfect, but not personal obedience. The obedience required in the covenant of works, is perfect for one transgression lays man open to the curse, but it does not stand upon person* al obedience. But this is upon another account, and, not by virtue of the covenant of woiks. The covenant of works never tied us up to personal obedience as the condition of life God has beer* so far from binding us up :o personal obedience as the condition of life, that he never did propose that way unto us ; but, from the be- ginning of the world, constituted a public person to ace in our behalf ; and, upon his failing, immediately reveal- ed Jesus Christ, to be another public person to act for us, Rom. v. 19. Prop. VI. The life promised in the covenant of works, is a life of glory in heaven. The promise is life. Gal. iii. 22. " The man that doth them, shall live in them." Some have thought, that Adam should have had only the continuance of that blessedness which he was created in, if he had kept the covenant. It is very true, that there is no mention in the covenant of his going to heav- en 34< The Safety of Appearing i& Chap. 111. en ; but we have clear ground fo conclude from Scrip- ture, that if man had stood, he should have gona to heaven, according to this promise. 1 . Because hell, where the devils arc, is the reward of disobedience, by the covenant of works ; therefore heav- en, where the holy angels are f is the reward of obedi- ence. It is meet the rewards should be proportionable. I know it is answered, that sin deserves evil at God's hands ; but holiness, which is due unto God, does not deserve any rewards. But this does not take off the force of the argument ; for it is by the law that sin merits, as well as holiness ; and hence wicked men are punished only fof such sins as they commit in this life, 2 Cor. v. 10. .And there is as much goodness in holiness as evit in sin ; and it is a meet thing that God should bestow as much good in a way of obedience, as he inflicts evil in a way of disobedience. Besides, the law expresses the punishment of sin by death, Rom. vi. 23. " The wa- ges of sin is death :" And the reward of obedience by life, Gal. iii. 12, " The man that doth them, shall live by them :" therefore it is a life directly opposite to" that death, a life that contains as much good in it, as that death doth evil. Those terms do mutually explain one the other., 2. Because" Christ in fulfilling of t?ie law for us, has purchased life for us in heaven : Christ has purchased heaven for us. Eph. i. 14<. it is called a purchased pos- session. And he did it by performing the law fo; us ; it is by making of ; 'righteous, that we come (a have a tiile unto eternal fife. Rom. v. 21. " Grace reigns by righteousness unto e^rnnl life by Jesus Chiist our Lord."" 3. Because Qliap. Til. the Righteousness of CHRIST. 3$ 3. Because Christ tells the young man in the gospel, (that enquired ot him what good thing he should do that he might have eternal life), " that if he would enier into life he should keep the commandments/' Mat. xix. 16, 17. Where we may mind, that the life enquired after bv the young man, was a life in heaven ; and thai Christ in this answer is leading of him to the covenant of works, upon a design to. convince him of his inability to keep it. 4. Because the aposlle Paul gives that as the reason, that men cannot be justified by tlie law, ''because they are sinners," Rom. viii, 3. $ iii. 20. The Legalists that Paul disputes against, expected eternal life in heav- en by their works ; yet in all his disputes with them, he never tells tlum, that the covenant of works does not promise any such thing. If he could have told them so, that would clearly have cut off all their hopes : but he still shews, ihat (hey cannot have salvation by the law upon this account, because they cannot fulfil it ; yea he plainly implies, that the reward by the law and gospel are 1 he same, but the way of obtaining it is different. Rom. iv. 4-. " He that worketh has the reward by debt ; he that worketh not, hath it by grace." The second thing that falls under consideration here is, What is the difference between the covenant of works and the covenant with Adam ? God's covenant with Adam is generally confounded with the covenant of works, to the great hinderance of pur understanding of God's dealings with mankind. Ad* am 3& Ihe Safely of Appearing in Chap. III. am indeed was made, as well as we, under a covenant of works, under a covenant of life, upon Condition of per- fect obedience. But besides this, there was a particular covenant with Adam, whereby he was constituted a legal head or representative of his posterity, to act in our behalf, to stand or fall for us, as well as himself. This is plainly held forth, in that he is said to be " the figure of him that is to come," that i?, of Christ, Rom. v. 14-. He was the figure of Christ, inasmuch as he was made a public per- son, as Christ al*o was : ihis also is evident, because we smned m him ; his fall is truly ours, Rom. v. 12. Wmch could not have been, if we had not been in him as our representative ; because God had constituted him our head, iherefore his sin became ours, Rom. v. 19. 1 Cor. xv. 22. There is a great difference between these two cove- nants : there might ha< r e been a covenant of works, though there never had been any such covenant with Adam constituting him a public person : that was acci- dental to the covenant of works. God made a covenant of works with the angels , but he never appointed them any public person to act for them ; but every one stood singly for himself. We make a great difference between ihem in these three particulars, 1 . The covenant with Adam proposed a particular ivay for the accomplishment of the covenant of works. The covenant of wo r ks states the condition of life ; but God, by making Adam a public person, finds out a way for the fulfilling of this condition. God has proposed two for the accomplishing of ihe covenant of works ; First Chap. III. the Righteousness of CHRIST. $7 First, By making a covenant with Adam, to perform obedience for his posterity : this way failed. The second was, By making a covenant of redemption with Jesus Christ, wherein Christ undertook to fulfil the covenant of works for us : this I call the second way, because,, though this covenant was made first, yet it was revealed last, as not to take place, until the cov- enant with Adam was violated. 2. The covenant with Adam has never been fulfilled, but the covenant of ivorks has. Adam utterly failed of performing that particular covenant made wLh him. If that covenant had been fulfilled, all mankind had been happy ; whereas they were all exposed to misery by him, Rom. v. 12, But the covenant of works has been fulfilled; Christ fulfilled it, Mat. iii. 15. And we in him, Rom. viii. 4-. 3. By virtue of Adam y s covenant, we are only liable to punishment for that sin which ive committed in him. For thai covenant only laid duty on him, as he was to act jointly for himself and on us ; and that covenant was al an end on his eating the forbidden fruit. But by the covenant of works we are liable to punishment for our personal sins : that covenant threatens death for any transgiession, Gal. iii. 10. A third thing to be considered is, That the covenant of works did admit of a Mediator. It will be readily granted, that (hough the evil of sia be incomparably great, jet it is not so great but that E God 35 The Safety of Appearing in Chap. III. God may have compassion upon us, and find in his heart to provide a Mediator for us. His infinite mercy may move him to give us a Redeemer, though sin so greatly provokes him. The great question is, Whether lie has not so bound himself by his law, as (o lake away all possibility of help by a Mediator ? Whether the law ivill give ivay to the interposture of a Mediator ? Wheth- er the word of God does not bind him to punish the sinner in hh own person ? If so, it is a vain thing to expect any help from a Mediator, for no violence may be done unto the law. And the words of the curse have such a force, as if they did devote the sinner unto person- al ruin : " In the day thou eatest thereof, thou shalt surely die," Gen. ii. 17. But we must distinguish be- tween such threatenings as are legal, and such as are personal. Some threalenings are personal, and infalli- bly to be fulfilled upon those that are threatened : thus the threatening^ of eternal destruction against impenitent sinners, must unavoidably take place on them. But there are some threaten ings which are legal, and intend no more, but that the offender must die legally ; that is, be punished with death, either in his own person, or the per- son of his surety, thus many human laws are to be un- derstood, thus it is among men in case of debt ; and there is nothing in the words of the law that does contra- dict this interpretation. The words do enforce no more than this. The words of the law are not any ways strain- ed by putting this sense upon them ; neither is there any- thing in the case, of itself, to oppose this interpretation ; for the sufferings of a surety answer the end of the law, a& well as the sufferings of the offenders. God's Chap . III. the Righteousness of C H K i s ? . '$ 5 God's warn* as #s wiwc/i vindicated, and there is as full a testimony given to the holiness of God by the sufferings of a surety,- as if the sinner had suffered in his own per- son. There is no probability that Adam did at first under- stand this interpretation of the curse ; it was a secret that God kept in his own breast, until there was occasion for its publication. Indeed, from the first publishing of the law, God shewed that a public person might perform the preceptive part of it for others ; and, by failing therein might expose others with himself unto ruin, as Adam did. Which shews it also to be very fair, that a public person may suffer for us. If a public person may ruin us, why may not a public person recover us ? But we have no grounds to conclude that Adam knew any thing of the possibility of salvation in case he sin- ned ; but God, after the fall, revealed it unto him. But God has, by his practice, clearly given us this in- terpretation of the curse of (he law. God himself has provided a Mediator for us, and inflicted the punishment of our sins on him ; which shews it is nowise contradicto- ry to his law so to do. Such a proceeding is agreeable to the law, otherwise God would never have had a hand in it. God has shewed us how the law is to be under- stood in executing it on Jesus Christ ; and it is very un reasonable to think, that there should be any thing in the law to hinder our salvation by Jesus Christ ; for this way of salvation has been decreed by God before the world. 1 Pet. i. 20. " He was foreordained before the founda- tion of the world ;" and certainly he would never make such a law as should overthrow his decree : the law must be so understood, as not to cross his everlasting purposes of *0 The Safety of Appearing in Chap. III. ? saving sinners by Christ. The apostle argues, that :he covenant of grace could not be disannulled by the few of Moses, which was given four hundred and thirty years after, Gal. iii. 17. So t may argue, that the ever- last ing purpose of God to save us by the sufferings of Christ, cannot be disannulled by a law that was made in time ; and therefore thai law must be so understood, as not to cross that design. The fourth thing to be cleared is, That Jems Christ is a Mediator. Though the law left room for a Mediator, yet God was a! liberty whether he would provide one or no ; but he has provided Christ, and put him into this office. Christ stands in that relation of a Mediator ; and this im- plies both duty and authority, to work out all our salra- lion for us, both as to the purchasing, and also the ap- plying of salvation. Thai Christ Jesus is a Mediator, is set down in express teims. I.Tim, ii. 5. " There is one Mediator between God and man, the man Christ Je- sus." The word mesitcs is peculiar to the holy Scrip- ture. Socinus would have it to signify only God's in.er- preter ; and it ma) be, that may be the meaning. Gal. iii. 19, " It was ordained by angels in the hand of a Mediator." But the word generally notes one that stands between God and man, to make up the breach that sin had made. That this is intended in the forementioned place, is evident by the next words, verse 6. " Who gave him- self a ransom for all :" so that his mediation consisted in giving himself a raitsom ; or, at least, lie was such a Me- diator, as did give himself a ransom. This must also be v Ciup. III. the Rigfiteousncss or CHRIST. 41 the meaning of the word, Heb. ix. 15. " -And for this cause he is the Mediator of the NeVv Testament, that by ineans of his death for the redemption of the transgres- sions that were under the first Testament, they which arc called may receive the promise of 'the eternal inheri- tance. " There is plainly held forth, that he executed his Mediatorly office in dying for transgression, and in order to our enjoying an eternal inheritance. The same Medi- aioily office of Chi ist is held forth, 1 Cor. viii. 5, 6. " For though there be that are called Gods, whether in heaven or in earth, (as there be Gods many, and Lords many,) but to us there is but one Gocl the Father, of whom are all things, and we in him, and one Lord Je- sus Christ, by whom are all things, and we by him." The Heathens did distinguish between their Gods into celestial and terrestrial : the celestial and sovereign Gods, they thought to be immortal, of a sublime and pure na- ture ; the terrestrial were the deified souls of famous men deceased, whose office it was to be as mediators and a- gents between the sovereign Gods and mortal men : these are called Daalims or Lords. Unto these superior and inferior Gods, he does elegantly allude, verse 6. so that when he says, " that to us there is but one Lord," he means one Mediator. The same Mediatorly office o Jesus Christ is held forth in those titles of Prophet, Priest and King, which are frequently given unto him, and contain under them the several parts of his Mediatorly office. There are three things requisite unto the Mediatorly of- fice of Christ ; the fitness of his person ; the consent o the Father ; and his own consent. E e The 42 The Safely of Appearing in Chap. III. The first thing requisite, was the fitness of his person^ whereby he was capable of discharging this office. It tlid not become infinite Wisdom to lay such a task on one that was incapable of performing it ; and this requisite was found in Jesus Christ. This undertaking was too great for any mere creature ; but it was not too heavy a burden for the shoulders of Jesus Christ. He was fit to purchase our salvation, and also {Q apply it ; and, upon this ac- count, he was prized by God. He is said to be dect and precious, 1 Pet. ii, 6. As a prince prizes some men, be- cause they are of such abilities, that they are fit to serve him in the greatest offices of the kingdom ; so God hav- ing a design to save sinners, he prizes Christ as a person ill to bring about that design. The pi incipal fitness of Jesus Christ for the work of Mediator, consists, in his being God-man in one person ; yet we must not think that he did not enter into his office, till he was actually incarnate ; the incarnation was neces- sary to his full discharge of that work : but he entered in- to his office, and began to fulfil it before his incarnation. Our sins were not actually imputed to him till his incar- nation ; but he was a Mediator immediately upon the fall of man : from that time his blood was efficacious, Rev. xiii. 8. " He is the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world :" from the time of the making of the cove- nant of grace, he was a Mediator, Heb. xii. 24. And the salvation of the Patriarchs in the first ages of the world, was the fruit of the mediation of Christ; and therefore that solemn consecration of Christ, at the time of his baptism, was not unto the office of a Mediator* but the work of Vis public ministry, Christ Chap. III. the Righteousness of CHRIST. 43 Christ, by being man, was fitted as for some other parts of his office, so especially to fulfil the law for man, to o- bey and suffer for us : had he been only God, he had been incapable of obedience or sufferings : had he taken upon him the nature of angels, he had been incapable of obey- ing and suffering for us. The Mosaical law concerning the right of redemption in the kinsman, did typify that Christ should be our kinsman : this manifested what God intended ; but that doth not prove that there was a neces- sity of it : bat if he had assumed the angelical nature, he could not have fulfilled that law that was given to man. The precepts and curses of the law were fitted to man's nature, and some of them could not be fulfilled by the angelic nature. Besides, the tenor of the covenant of works ran thus : (hat *" man must fulfil the righteousness of the law," and, in case of disobedience, man must " bear the curse of it." This the apostle shews, when he teaches us, " that because we did partake of flesh and blood, Christ also partook of the same, that by death he might deliver us," Heb. ii. 14. ; and intimates, verse 16. that if he had faked the nature of angels, it would not have served the turn. And whereas he add-?, that he took on him the seed of Abraham ; we are not to under- stand that there was any necessity of tha-, any further than from the promises and prophecies thereof, that he should come of that stock ; but he mentions his coming of Abra- ham, as that which evidenced that he was of the same na- ture with us. Christ, by being God, was fitted not only for Ills prophet- ical and kingly office, to the execution whereof, divine power and wisdom was requisite, but he was also fitted for 44 The Safely of Appearing in Chap. III. for his priestly office ; so that the divine nature had an in- fluence into the satisfactoriness of the sufferings of Christ. That is held forth, Heb. ix. 14*. " How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offer- ed himself without spot to God, purge your consciences from dead works ?" And, Acts xx. 28. " To feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blooj." To complete the fitness of Jesus Christ for the work of a mediator, there were necessary some special qualifica- tions of the human nature, especially holiness and wisdom. His holiness was necessary unto all his offices : he would not have been fit to have executed his prophetical office, without that. He had need be holy and faithful, that is, to declare the mind of God to man : Without this, he would not hare been fit to have executed the office of a king. He that rules the world, and judges men's eternal estate, had need be holy: Without this,, he would not have been fit to have executed the office of a priest. He that was to work out righteousness for others, and satisfy for their sins, must be holy ; and this qualification was perfect and complete in Jesus Christ, Heb. vii. 26. " For such an high-pi iest became us, who is holy, harm- less, undefiled, separate from sinners.'' Here Christ's holiness is set forth possitively, he was holy ; and nega- tively in three branches, he was harmless ; free from actual sin, undefiled ; that is, free from original pollution : Separate from sinners ; free from that common sin of mankind, which ihey committed in Adam. The other qualification of wisdom, was especially necessary unto the execution of his prophetical and kingly offices ; this he needed Chap. III.' the Righteousness of CHRIST. 4$ needed an extraordinary measure of, and God has fur- nished him suitably, John v. 34-. " God giveth not the spirit by measure unto him." By which expression we are not to understand infinite gifts ; for the human na- ture is not capable of an infinite qualification, but extra- ordinary qualifications, beyond what God does bestow on other men. Thi* was spoken concerning those gifts given him at the time of his baptism, when the spirit res- ted on him ; and questionless are far exceeded by those gifts besiowed on him, when lie ascended to the right hand of God. A second thing requisite unto the mediatoriy office of Christ, was the consent of the Father. There was a necessity of his approbation, that the Me- diator might have authority 10 di charge' his office. There could be no redemp.ion without the consent of him, whose prisoners we are ; and although the suffer- ings of Christ were in iheir own naiure, a valuable con- sideration for our redemption, m there could not be sat- isfaction without the consent of God. God might not be imposed on, nor any satisfaction obtruded upon him wi h- out his consent. The office of a Mediator, as it implies auihoiity over man, soil implies subjection and subordi- nation 10 God : and accordingly in this work, Christ is God's servant, Isai. xlii. 1. " Behold my servant whom J uphold." And ihe scripture does give in abundant evi- dence, that the Father did consent to this undertaking of Christ's. He is called God's Elect, Isai. xlii. 1. " Mine elect, in whom my ?oul delighteth." He was chosen by God to this work : so he is said to be foreor- dained. 46 The Safety of Appearing iti Chap, II I. daincd, \ Pet. i. 20. Christ'did not intrude into this office, but was called of God, Heb. v. 5, 6. When he came into the world, he was sent of God, John v. 57. He came with a commission, and it was under God's hand and seal, John vi. 27. God has confirmed Christ in his office by an oath, Psal. ex. 4. " The Lord hath sworn, and will not repent, thou art a priest forever after the order of Melchizedek." The third thing requisite to the Mediatorly office of Christ, ivas his own consent. It was not meet that such an office should be forced up- on him ; that it should be put upon hiili to die for sinners, without his own choice ; and that if we consider the in- nocency and excellency of his person. But he did freely consent to take this task upon him. His will as he is God, is the same with the Father's : And, as man, he closed with it ; he voluntarily undertook this work of redeeming and saving sinners. Heb. x. $. " Then said I, Lo I come (in the volume of the book it is written of me) to do thy will, O God." Gal. ii. 20. " He loved me, and gave himself for me." John x. 12. ft No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself." The consent of the Father and the Son is represented to us in scripture, after the manner of a covenant, called by divines the covenant of redemption : In which trans- action we may take notice of theses/foe Articles. I. The Father promised to fit the Son for the work of redemption, by preparing an human nature ; that so he might be capable of working out our redemption, Helx x. 5. " A body hast thou prepared me." His manifestation in (he flesh was pre-ordained, \ Pet. i. 20. 2. The Chap. III. the Righteousness of CHRIST. 47 2. The Son covenanted to answer the law for us ; that he would suffer for our sins, and work out righteousness for us. Mat. xxii. 23. " The Son of Man came to give his lite a ransom for many." John x. IS. " I have power to la) down my life, and power to take it again : this commandment have I received of my Father.' 1 3. The Father covenanted to accept the obedience and sufferings of Jesus Christ for the elect; that their debt should be remitted unto them, and they saved thereby. Isai. xlix. 6. " It is a light thing that thou shouldst be my servant, to raise up the tribe of Jacob, and to restore the preserved of Israel ; I will also give thee to be a light unto the Gentiles, that, thou mayest be my salvation to the end of the earth." Isai. liii. 10,11,12. "When he shall make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, &c. 4. The Father covenanted to invest him with full au- thority to accomplish the salvation of his redeemed ones, and apply to them the benefits of his death : and in order unto this, to advance his human naiure unto the highest dignity and glory. John xvii. 2. " Thou hast given him power over all flesh, that he may give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him," Eph. i. 22. " He hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be head over all things to the Church." 5. The Son covenanted fully to accomplish the salvation of all the Elect, John vi. 39. "This is the will of the Father *hat fent me that of all that he hath given me, I should lose nothing, but raise it up again at the last day." These 4S 1 he Safety of Appearing in Chap. III. These things were agreed to between the Faiher and the Son. The fifth proposition for the clearing this argument, is, That Christ's work as Mediator, was not to restore man to his former condition, but to bring him to salvation. Our primitive estate in Adam, was an estate of inno- cency j we were habitually holy, without any offence, probationers for glory ; neither in an estate of condem- nation, nor in an estate of justification. And God, if he had so pleaded, might have appointed Christ to have re- stored us to our primitive condition ; to have set us free from the guiit and power of sin, and so might put us up- on it to have wrought for our own blessedness agaiiij according to the tenor of ihe former covenant : but Chrisj was appointed to bring us into an estate of justification and salvation. Jesus Christ had his authority bestowec upon him to bring us to life. John xvii. 2. "Thot bast given him power over all flesh, that he should giv< elernal life to as many as thou hast given him." Ac cordingly, Christ ha. done more for our blessednes thai Adam was to do. Adam was to bring us out of an es tate of innocency into an estate of justification : bu Christ has brought us out of a guilty estate into an esiatt of jtisiificaiion. Yea, Christ has done more for our bles sedness, than Adam did for our ruin. Adam brought u from innocenry to misery ; but Christ has brought u from misery, not back again to innocency, but to blessed ness. In this respect, that salvation that Christ ha wrought, is more eminent and remarkable, than that de struction that Adam wrought. And for the purchasing of this, there was more required, than for the restitutior of Chap. III. the Righteousness of CHRIST. 49 of us lo our primitive condition : The sufferings of Christ were sufficient to procure our restitution unto innocency ; but there was a necessity of the active obedience of Jesus Christ, to bring us into an estate of blessedness. Christ's active obedience was necessary for us as well as his passive : and this was one reason, why it was requisite that Christ should continue so long upon earth, that by a course of obedience for many years, he might purchase eternal life for us. The influence of the blood of Christ into our justification, was typified by the sacrifices ; the influence of the active obedience of Christ into our justificaiion, was typified by the white garments of the priests, and the beautiful garments of the high- priest. Our justification is compared to the putting on f -white raiment, Rev. iii. 18. Some have objected a- gainst the necessity of Christ's active obedience to our justification ; that by his sufferings, he satisfied for our sins of omission, as well as of commission : and, if our sins of omission were satisfied for, it is all one as if we had performed the duty. But that is a mistake ; we can- fiot be justified, except obedience be performed, Gal. iii. 12. " the man that doth them shall live in them." Suffering is the fulfilling of the threatening, not of the command : mere suffering has satisfaction, but no merit in it : suffering for sins of omission, only removes the guilt contracted by the omission : suffering for sins of omission, puts us into such a condition as if the duty had not been ommiited, but not into such a condition as if it had ocen performed : in to such a condition as Adam was m not such as believers are in. In a sin of omission, there are tivo things to be observed ; a neglect of duty towards God, which is to be punished ; and a neglect of the condition of life ; which condition must be attend- F ed 50 f lhe Safety of Appearing in Chap. III. ed to, before life be bestowed. The forgiving an omis- sion may be, where the duty is still expected. Ifamanfail of paying money at the day, his omission may be forgiv- CD, and yet the money may be expected. The sixth proposition for the clearing of the argument is, That Jesus Christ has fulfilled the righteousness of ihe law. He has answered all the demands and challeng- es of the law : what ihe law could challenge from us, has been accomplished by, and upon Christ. First, Christ has fulfilled obedience unto the commands of the law. Jesus Christ lived a life of spotless holiness and integrity, obedient in all things unto the command of God, John xvii. 4. " I have glorified thee on earth, I have finished the work that thou gavest me to do." 1 Pet. ii. 22. " Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth/' He lived in a perfect and abso- lute conformity to the law of God all the days of his life ; and therefore he is said to know no sin, 2 Cor. v. 21. Concerning this active obedience of Christ, I shall here only observe these two things : 1 . That he did all the common duties of the law, and such particlar duties as were proper to the relation that he sustained. He did not sustain all relations, as husband and parent ; and therefore the duties peculiar to such re- lations, were not required of him, nor performed by him. Neither was their any need that he should stand in all relations, and fulfil the work required of all. Some give that reason, why Christ was in this or that condi- tion, that it was to sanctify those conditions to his peo- ple, and, by that reason, he had need have been in all , conditions, that the like might be sanctified to his peo- pie. Chap. III. the Righteousness of CHRIST. 5.1 pte. But it was sufficient that Christ fulfilled the whole law, as it was required of one in his station ; and that is enough to answer for the Elect, whatever relation or con- dition they are in. 2. Christ did obey not only moral commands, but also subjected himself to the commands of instituted worship. And as he was circumcised in his infancy, so when he was adult, he was baptized, and gives that reason of it, because " it became him to fulfil a'l righteousness/' Mat. iii. 15. So Christ partook of the Lord's Supper, Mat. xxvi. 9. Some think, that the reason why Christ was baptized, was, that he might thereby shew his approba- tion of John's baptism. But that might have been done by his word : and I cannot think that Christ would use * ' a significant ceremony, if the signification had not all belonged to him : neither would he peiform an act of worship that was not proper for him, only to shew his approbation. Another reason that is given, is, that it was to sanctify our baptism : but their baptism was sanc- tified, that were baptized before : besides, it is not the example, but the institution of Chris!, that sanctifies our baptism. Another reason, that he was hereby in- augurated and consecrated to his office. But there is nothing leads to that ; he was solemnly consecrated im- mediately after. This ordinance has no such significa- tion ; but the reason of it was, because sin was imput- ed to him ; and as this ordinance seals up to us deliver- ance from sin through Christ's blood, so it sealed up to him deliverance from the guilt of sin through his own blood. Through the shedding of his blood he was justi- fied., 1 Tim. iii. 16. And this was a seal to his faith, and 52 The* Safely of Appearing in Chap. III. and sin imputed was sacrament ally clone away here- by : The like may be said ofhis partaking of the Lord's sapper. Secondly, Christ Jesus has likewise borne the penalty of the law. The death of Jesus Christ was a legal death, it was the execution of the law. The putting of Christ to death, was an act of 'vindictive justice ; it was a fruit of the wrath of God : This is evident, because he is said to be made a curse for us. The curse is the con- demning sentence and execration of the law, Gal. iii 13. This the apostle proves from Deut. xxi. 22, 23. That law was a ceremonial law, whereby they that were hanged on a tree, were ceremonial! v accursed, to typify the accursed death of Jesus -Christ. This typical reason excepted, there is no reason why this sort of death should fasten a curse on a person, more than any other legal death : This law makes the man that was hanged a ceremonial curse, to typify Christ's having the mor- al curse. Again, it is clear, because God punished Christ with death for sin ; and God does not punish sin, but by the law. The death of Christ was on the account of sin, Isai. liii. 6. " The Lord hath laid on him the iniquities of us all." 1 Cor. xv. 3. "Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures/' Several things are here objected ; As, 1 . That Christ did not suffer spiritual death in sin, th^ loss of the image of God ; which is a part of the penally of the law. Ann 1 . Christ bore the essential parts of the curse, not M Chap. III. the Righteousness of CHRIST. 53 all the accidental. There be many circumstantial parts of the curse, wherein there may be great variety ; so one reprobate does not bear all the pains, diseases and afflictions, that others. do ; some reprobates shall not en- dure bodily death, as they which are alive at the com- ing of Christ : So Christ did suffer some sorrows that were peculiar, when indeed ihere was no absolute ne- cessity of themfiom the moral law ; as he suffered a le- gal death from men, died as a malefactor, with many ag- gravating circumstances : there was no need that Christ should suffer the same in specie with reprobates ; it was sufficient that he suffered the same in pondere. The death of the soul in sin, flows not from the curse abso- lutely considered, but, from the disposition of the pa- tient ; it is a punishment fit for sinners, but not fora Mediator* 2. Object. Christ did not suffer the torments of hell, which are a principal part of the curse. Ans. He did not suffer in hell, but he suffered the sa?ne for substance with them that are there. As for the bodily punishments of Christ, they were very great ; but he bare the punishment of heir in his soul. He bore the loss of the comf or fable fruition of God, Mat. xxvii. 46. And he had the doleful sense of the wrath of God on his heart. This is held out, Psal. ex. 7. "He shall drink of the brook in the way." And, as we have peace of conscience, through imputed righteousness, so he had torment of conscience from imputed sin. What was it else that he conflicted with in his agony ? was it only the fears of temporal death, which many martyrs F f have ' 54 The Safety of Appearing m Chap. IIL have borne with triumph ? He grappled with the wrath of God, that made him sweat drops of blood. 5. Object. Christ did not suffer eternal death, and the tierniiy of the punishment is the great aggravation. Aus. It is true, he suffered but a few years ; and the extremity of his punishment, was but for a few hours ; because the infinite dignity of his person, made his short sufferings equivalent to the everlasting punishment of the damned. For an infinite person to suffer a temporal punishment, is as much, as for a finite person to suffer an eternal punishment. It may be as severe justice to punish Christ with the like pains for a few hours, as to punish a damned man with them forever, A less quan- tity of gold equals a greater quantity of silver. It seems to be as great a testimony of the holiness of God, and a vindication of the honour of his law, to punish his dear Son with a temporal, as sinners with eternal punishment. The seventh thing to be considered is, That Christ per- formed the righteousness of the law for us : it was performed on our account, that we might be justified thereby. 1 . The active obedience of Christ was performed upon our account. Whatever was done that way, was done by him as our Mediator and representative. Rom. v. 14. " By the obedience of one, many are made righteous." And Christ's righteousness, as distinct from his suffer- ings, is spoken of as a ground of faith, 1 John ii. 1, 2. " We have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous, who also is the propitiation for our sins/' So in Dan. ix. 24-. " The bringing in of everlasting righteousness/' is spoken of as a distinct thing from fin- ishing hap. III. the Righteousness of CHRIST. ishing transgression, and making an end of sin : which are benefits to come by the Messiah. Neither does it anywise prejudice this truth, that Christ owed obedience unto God, as he was man ; it being essential to man to owe obedience to his Creator ; for Adam's obedience was a natural debt, yet, if he had obeyed, all his posterity would have lived. And, though Christ himself were re- warded for his obedience and sufferings, (as is held forth Phil. ii. 7, 8, 9, 10.) that hinders not its usefulness for us. The primary design of it, was to accomplish our salvation ; which hinders not but that God might give some signal testimony of his acceptance of the love and service of Christ, by recompensing him for the same. 2. The sufferings of Jesus Christ. were also upon our ac- count. And indeed there can no other account be given of these sufferings ; no other reason but this can be as- signed of them. His sufferings were exceeding great, as appears by his being afflicted beforehand about it, by his heaviness and amazement, by his prayers, by his sweating drops of blood ; and no satisfactory reason caa be given of these sufferings, but only that he bore our curse. It was not for any personal sin, for he had none, Heb. vii. 26. It was not to prevent any sin. God sometimes brings afflictions on his people to prevent their sinning, 2 Cor. xii. 7. But there was no danger of Christ's sinning ; his nature was not tainted ; and the union of the divine nature with the human was a suffi- cient security. It was not merely in a. way of trial, to try the patience and faith of Christ; the scripture gives in no evidence of that. Neither was it principally to give 56 Ike Safety of Appearing in Ghap. III. give us an example of patience ; but he suffered, to make an atonement for us, and reconcile its to God. The scrip- ture represents the sufferings of Christ ; under a three- fold consideration, all serving to clear up this point. 1. It is represented as a price of redemption, Mat. xx. 28. " The Son of man came to give his life a ran- som for many/' Rev. v. 9. "Thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood." A second consideration is, of a sacrifice. The sins of the people were typically laid upon the sacrifice, and then it was slain ; so Christ was sacrificed for us, Eph. v. 2. " Christ haih given himself for us an offering and a sac- rifice to God of a sweet smelling savour." 1 Cor. v. 7. " Christ our passover is sacrificed for us." The fruit of this is reconciliation. A third consideration of them, is, they area pilnish- ment. Jesus Christ took upon him the guilt of our sins ; that is, our obligation to punishment. The demerit of sin, whereby the sinner deserves punishment, was not translated to him : As the merit of his righteousness is not translated to us, but the title to blessedness arising therefrom ; so Christ took upon himself our obligation to punishment ; and accordingly God inflicted the pun- ishment of our sins upon him. Christ was legally guilty of our sins, and God punished him. 1 Pet. ii. 21. " He bare our sins in his own body upon the tree." Isaiah liii. 4. " Surely lie hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows." Rom. iv. 25. " He was deliv- ered for our offences." And here we may take notice of a great difference between (lie first and second Adam. The first Adam brought the guilt of one sin upon us ; but Jesus Chap. III. the Righteousness of CHRIST. 57 Jesus Christ takes away the guilt, not only of that, but of our innumerable personal transgressions. And this the apostle minds, Rom. v. 16. " And not as it was by one that sinned, so is the gift ; for the judgment was by one to condemnation ; but the free gift is of many offen- ces to justification."' The first sin that man is guilty of, lays him open unto death ; and his aRer sins do multiply his obligations unto death, but do not expose him unto so many several deaths ; yet they do expose him unto a sorer and greater degree of eternal death. Where there are several sins meeting in the same person, they are to be punished with an aggravated death ; for every sin must be accounted for in the day of judgment, Eccl. xii. 14. And therefore Christ that he might pro- cure a remission of all our sins, bore a punishment pro- portionable to them all, Isaiah liii. 5. " He was wound- ed for our transgressions." What he redeemed us from, that he endured himself, Gal. iii. 13. ; only it must be remembered, that, by reason of the dignity of his per- son, that sorrow which he eudured, was a greater measure of punishment, than it would ^have been in us. The eighth thing to be considered, is, That the right- tousnessof Jews Christ is sufficient for the elect of God in all ages. He has an everlasting priesthood, and the virtue of his sacrifice does continue from the beginning to the end of the world ; therefore he is said " to bring in everlasting righteousness," Dan. ix. 24. His righteousness was efficacious for the ages before Ms coming. Though it was not then actually wrought tut in former generations, this righteousness was availa- ble 58 The Safety of Appearing in Chap. III. ble for justification. As a man may be discharged of a debt because of the bond of his surety, before the mon- ey is paid ; so Christ was preached as the way of salva- tion from the very fall of Adam, Gen. iii. 15. t( The seed of the woman shall bruise the serpent's head." The \vay that the patriarchs were justified, was by faith in Christ, Rom. iv. 3. Hence they are said to be sav- ed by grace, Acts xv. 11. The covenant which was made with Abraham, was made in consideration of the righteousness of Christ, Gal. iii. 17. " The covenant that was confirmed before by God in Christ." Christ was actually slain after the world had stood about four thousand years ; but he was reckoned as " slain from the foundation of the world," Rev. xiii. 8. The virtue of his blood reached unto the first ages of th^ world. That is implied, Heb. ix. 25, 26. " Nor yet that he should offer himself often, as the high-priest entereth every year into the holy place with the blood of others, for then must he often have suffered since the foundation of the world ; but now once in the end of the world hath he appeared to put away sir. by the sacrifice of himself." Hence there was through him, " remission of the sins that were past." Rom. iii. 25. He died for the redemption of transgressions " that were under the first Testament,'* Heb. ix. 15. The means of the salvation of the fathers was accomplished in the days of the gospel. They were saved before, but the price of the salvation was paid when Christ died : that is intended by that expression, Heb. xi. 40. " God having provided some better thing for us, that they without us should not be made per- fect." His righteousness is also efficacious for all ages after his Chap. III. the Righteousness of CHRIST, 59 his coming. Christ paid for the salvation of those gen- erations that were not born then.. He saftefkd for sins that were not then commit led ; fur God has appointed the gospel lobe p-eached 10 the end of the world, Mat. xxviii. 19, 20. Yea, Christ appointed that his death should be shewed forth in the Lord's Supper, unto the day of judgment, 1 Cor. xi. 26. In the] redemption of Christ, God shewed grace to the ages to come, Eph. ii. 7. There will be some saved by Christ, in all ages to the end >f the world, Eph. iii. 31. The saints un- der Antichrist are said to be redeemed by Christ, Rev. xiv. 6. The reason of this everlasting efficacy of Christ's right- eousness, is /row God's acceptance. God might accept it as well before it was wrought out, as after : And it was as easy for Christ to redeem millions of men as one. Christ being a suiety, the same righteousness that will serve for one, will serve for all. As it is with the sin of Adam, it is as sufficient to condemn millions as one. And if Chrisi had been to redeem many more, he needed not to have done or suffered any thing more. What is done by the representative, is reckoned to all them whom he represents. The last proposition for the clearing of the argument, is, That Christ lias so pur chased salvation, that the Elect cannot fail of it. And herein lies one great difference between the first Adumnd {he second; though the first Adam made us heirs of death, yet there is a possibility ot our escaping deselection ; but the second Adam has so made us heirs of life, 60 The Safety of Appearing in Chap. III. life, as that it is impossible that the elect should miss thereof. That is intended, Rom. v. J7. "If by one man's offence death reigned by one, much more they that receive abundance of grace, and of the gift of righteous- ness, shall reign in life by one Jesus Christ." Christ's purchase gives U3 such a title to salvation, as that there can he no failure of it ; 2 Thes. ii. 10. " God has giv- en us everlasting consolation and good hope through grace." The reason of the difference is, because there was an exception in the law, that we must die, except our surely died for us. But the promise of eternal life which Christ has purchased, does admit of no exception, Psal. Ixxii. 17. " Men shall be blessed in him." Ac- cording to that promise to Jacob, all the families of the earth should be blessed in his seed ; and the promise made unto believers, does admit of no exception. There are many promises that have a limited interpretation ; some are indefinite, and some are conditional ; but this promise is absolute and universal, John iii. 16. " God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that who- soever believeth on him might not perish but have ever- lasting life." Before I leave this argument, it is needful to answer one objection ; which is this, // Christ's righteousness be that which the lam requires of us, then God would deal with those that have an inter- est in that, as he would have done if they had performed that righteousness themselves ; as he would have done if Adam had kept the covenant of works ; but he does not do thus. The promise in the covenant of works is life, which includes Chap. III. the Bighteousness of CHRIST. 61 includes all manner of felicity ; but believers are far sltort of felicity ; they have much sin remaining in them, are left to fall into many sins ; they are liable to very sore and dreadful afflictions, and to death. The promise of the law is not fulfilled to them ; therefore it seems they have not the righteousness of the law. Am. 1. These sorrows do not come upon the people of God for want of a perfect righteousness, or for want of complete satisfaction. And this is an evidence of it ; be- cause these sorrows do not come in a way of vindictive justice or vengeance ; though they are, for the matter of them, the same with the curses of the law, yet not for (he manner. Thev do not come to satisfy God for sin. Those saints that have the most sin have not always the most sorrow. To be left unto sin, is not a curse to the people of God. Hezekiah was left to sin in mercy, 2 Chron. xxxii. 31. "It was that lie might know what is in his heart." And so their afflictions, Rev. iii. 19. " Whom I love, I rebuke and chasten." Jer. xxiv. 6. 5. The brazen serpent was a type of this. The brazen Serpent was lifted up in the wilderness, that they that 'were stung with the flying fiery serpents, might look upon it and be healed, Numb. xxi. 8, 9. This did shadow forth the healing virtue of Christ crucified. The applica- tionof the type is made by Christ himself, John iii. 14, 15. " As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whosoever be- lieveth in him, might not perish, but have everlasting life/ 1 Mind, (1 .) A similitude between the condition of Mm that was 3tung, and the sin-ner* The venom of the serpent was very tormenting, and that may be one reason why the serpents are called fiery A because this poison burnt like lire. Thus it is with the guilty sinner ; his heart is full of perplexing sorrow, and he is tormented with the fiery darts of the evil one. (2.) There is a similitude between the lifting up of the frazen serpent, and the manner of Christ's death : there- fore Chap. IV. the Righteousness of CHRIST. 71 fore his death is set forth by that phrase of being lifted up. That phrase notes his sufferings. John viii. 28. " When ye have lifted up the Son of man, then ye shall know ihat I am he." John xii. 32, 33. " And if I be lifted up from i he earth, IwiLdraw all men unto me : this he said signifying what death he should die. (3.) There is a similitude between (he carnage of him that was stung, and the guilty sinner. He that was stung must look upon the brazen serpent; the guil?) sinner mu is guilty of. (2.) That cvcvy sin is a great wrong unto God. ' Sin is an horrible injury unto God. Sin is rebellion against God. Sinning is the casting off of the yoke of God. Sinning. is Chap. IV. the Righteousness of CHRIST. 7 is an insurrection of the soul against God, Luke xix. 14-, In sin there is also great contempt cast upon God. Sin is a vilifying and slighting of God. Men expose the name of God to scorn by sinning against him, Rom. ii. 23. Sin is also enmity against him- In all obedience there is love ; in all disobedience there is hatred. Sinners strike at God vrhen they sin John xv. 24-. God is greatly wronged by all sin ; and the sins of the people of God have many of them particular aggravations that do greatly increase the offen- ces. (3.) That every man is the proper cause of his own Sin, and the guil of it does properly belong to him. The car- nal reason of man is casting in many objections from the decree of God, from the withdrawing of the divine as- sistance, and from the corruption of nature : But the scripture does allow none of these objections, but fastens the guilt of sin upon him that does transgress the law, and blames men for their iniquities. And men lay not weight on these cavils, so as to excuse others that are injurious unto them ; and there is this reason for it, because men act voluntary in their transgressions ; tkey are not forced to sin, but choose it. . 3. It was great love for God to give his Son to die for our salvation, when he might justly have damned us; When it was a righteous thing for him to have ruined us, when he had us in his hands, and might have cast us off forever. His proceedings would not have been unjust, he had done us no wrong, there had been no cruelty in it, if he had thrown us into hell : he would not anywise have trespassed upon any rule of righteousness ; but on- ly have done that which was fair and equal; no imputa- tion 90 The Safely of Appearing m Chap. IV. (.ion of injustice could have been cast on him; he had nowise blemished his name, nor stained his glory. His proceedings must have been justified, and he would by our ruin have gained glory to hh justice. In,this time, to take care of our salvation, speaks more free love. If GodcoulJ not fairlv have done any other without stain- ing his own name, there would not have been any such evidence of love ; but the glory of his justice would have remained entire to him if we had perished. He sent his Son to die for our salvation, when lie might with honor have cast usoff ; when there was no lie upon him. to do any such thing, but he might fairly have damned us. This is evident, (1.) From the proceedings of God. God is a righteous God ; it is impossible that he should vary one hair's breadth from the rule of righteousness. The judge of all the world uill do right, Gen. xviii. 25, And his proceedings are such as do justify the casting off of sinful man. The constitution of the law does give in evidence of it. If the law had been unjusl, it had been an unrighteous thing to make it, as well as execute it. And indeed God has not only made h, but executed it : He has executed it upon the angels that sinned, " He cast them down to hell/' l Pet. ii. 2, 4. And he does execute it upon multitudes of men in all ages ; multitudes perish according to (his law ; yea he has executed the law upon his Son Christ Jesus : " Christ has bore the curse for us/' Gal. iii. 13. And had it not been just, God would not have inflicted it ; had it not been just. Christ would not have subjected himself unto it. Chap. IV. the Righteousncs of CHRIST. 81 (2.) From the acknowledgment and testimony of con- science. Though there be abundance of cavils in the heart of man against this, yet when they come to be thoroughly enlightened, they witness to the justice of this proceeding. Many men's consciences have been si- lenced from objecting any thing against this. Many have been so convinced after all their arguings, that they have been speechkss, as he Mat. xii. 12. They have fallen down at God's foot, and yielded themselves to be justly miserable ; that whatever become of them, they had nothing to accuse God of, Psal. li. 4% All men must first or last own this,, and yield themselves guilty, Rom. iii. 19. (3.) From the nature of sin. Sin is an injury unto God: the spirit of sin is to destroy God, Psal. xiv. 1. And besides this, when men sin, they break that la'.r which has threatenings of ruin annexed unto it, and run upon the point of the sword, and cast themselves into the jaws of death, Ezek. xxxiii. 1 1 . 4. It was great love for God to give his Son to die for our salvation, in this respect, that he did it, not having received, nor ever expecting to receive, satisfaction for the mercy. Our salvation is principally from the grace of God ; but that has been paid for : But the sending of Christ to die for sinners, is merely from ihe grace of God, and has never been paid for, nor ever will. Justification, adoption, sanctification, and eternal glory have been pur- chased : but the sending of Christ into the w.orld to die was never purchased ; God never received any recom- pence for this mercy ; he never had any satisfaction for this mercy, 1 John iv. 1Q. He loved us, and sent his 12 The Safely of Appearing in Chap. IV. his Son lobe the propitiation for our sins." The method and order of working about our salvation is this* (1.) Free and gracious election; which is the first cause of redemption and salvation, and an effect of nei- ther of them. (2.) Redemption, which is the effect of election, and cause of salvation. (3.) Salvation, both in (he beginnings of it here, \n ho- liness and spiritual comfort, and in the perfection of it hereafter, which is the effect both of election and redemp- tion. So that though salvation be paid for, yet God's sending of his Son to die for us, was a mere fruit of electing grace, and never paid for. And there are two reasons of this. 1 . This was loo great a mercy to be paid for. Our sal- vation was an exceeding great mercy, but not loo great to be purchased ; but this was. A Mediator could not be purchased. This mercy was not too great to be given, but it was too great to be purchased. We might more easily have purchased our redemption than our redeemer. Neither did Christ purchase this mercy for us : Christ did not buy his own office. What price could be laid down to satisfy God for such an unspeakable gift f 2. This mercy might be bestowed upon us without being purchased. God had so bound himself by his law, that man could not be saved without satisfaction ; that mercy xnusi be purchased : But God had not so bound himself by his law, but that it was free for him to send his Son to die, without receiving any satisfaction for this mercy. God Ghap. IV. the Righteousness of CHRIST. 33 God had tied his own hands so, that sinners could not be saved without satisfaction ; his faithfulness bound him lo stand upon that : But God was at liberty to send a Medi- ator \f he pleased : His own gracious nature was such, that he could do it without any purchase ; and he had not restrained himself by his ward. 5. It was great love for God to send his son to die for man's salvation, when he would have been no loser if man had not been saved. If the case had been so circum- stanced, that God would have suffered much loss if men had failed of salvation, there had then been a kind of ne- cessity laid upon God to have sent his Son to die in order to it ; but God bestowed this mercy upon us, when it would have been no loss unto him if we had per- ished. This may be cleared up by these considerations, (I.) This mercy of giving Christ to die for us, was the first thing wherein God laid out himself for our sal- vation. When a person has laid out himself much, and been at great expence for the accomplishing of a design, it is a disappointment to fail of it, and his expence is thereby many limes lost. But God had not been be- fore this at any expence for man's salvation ; this was the first thing wherein God laid out himself for our sal- vation. With respect to us who live in these latter days, the death of Christ was actually before any other endeav- ours for our salvation ; and with respect to those elect that lived before the coming of Christ, his death wa* virtually before any other expence for their salvation. Rev. iii. 8. (2.) If $4 The Safety of Appearing in Chap. IV. (2.) If God had not sent his Son to die, yet he need- ed not to have lost the glory of his laying out of his wisdom, power and goodness, in man's creation. What he had expended that way would not have been lost ; but he would have recovered his glory in man's ruin, Prov. xvi. 4. (3.) God could have found other ways to have glorifi- ed his grace. Though God was under no necessity of having any declarative glory ; neither does he glorify himself ad ultimum virium, to the utmost of his power ; yet it does please him to glorify his attributes and he might have honoured his mercy in the salvatian of fallen angels. They were capable of salvation, and it would have been a wonderful exalting of God's grace to hav saved them. 2. The next thing to be observed is, the force of the a- postle's consequence. He argues, from God's love in sending Christ to die for us, the certain salvation of those ihat are reconciled by his death. And ihere is no scru- ple to be made of their salvation, though they have many enemies that seek their ruin, though they have much sin remaining in them, and have been many ways failing of walking up to that exactnes, which God requires. All those that Christ died for, and are first or last interested in his death, shall be saved by him. 1 . If God had so great a love as to send his Son to bear such great sufferings to purchase our salvation, then he will not fail to do whatever else is necessary for our salvation. He will not slick to do what is else to be done for the completing of our salvation. He that has done Chap. IV. the Righteousness of CHRIST. Sj done the greater, will do the less. If lovexwercame the difficulty that was in the way of our redemption, is. will also overcome whatever difficulty is in the way of the application of redemption. It is unreasonable to think that God should have love enough to send his Son, to do that which cannot be done without pain, and sor- row, and death, and not have love enough to do that which he can do, with the speaking of a word. The great difficulty in the way of our salvation, was the pur- chasing of it : there was wrath to be borne, a curse to be endured ; but love broke through that difficulty. The rest that remains is easy to God. The mortification of sin, the quickening of grace, the repelling of temptation, and giving the actual possession of glory, may be effacl- ed by God without any difficulty ; and therefore he will not stick at that, Rom. viii. 32 " If God spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him aUo freely give us all things ?" It is true that God does, but by little and litlie, carry on in us the work of sanctification ; but the reason of that is, not that it is anywise difficult unto him, but because that suiii the design that is upon his heart. Neither is it from any unwillingness to help us, but because his design is to carry on the work of sanctification ; so that we shall have continual need of justification. We find it difficult to do our part in order to our salvation, but it is not diffi- cult to God to do his part. God carries on the woik without difficulty, yet so that we shall find difficulty. As a parent with ease helps the child to go, yet so that the; child finds difficulty to go ; it is no burden to God (o uphold grace. He that upholds the frame of nature with the word of his power, can easily uphold grace. What- I ever 82 The Safety of Appearing in Chap. IV. ever stands an impediment in the way of our salvation, r.iay be removed by God without any f rouble. God puts forth thousands of acts of omnipotency to effect things that are less upon his heart, than the salvation of those that he has redeemed. And it is no pain nor weariness unto Gcd, to be daily carrying on the work of our salvation. The opposition that, is made to it, is nothing to omnipo- tency, Isaiah xl. 28. " The Creator of the ends of the earth fainteth not, neither is weary." 2. If God had such love to us as to send his Son to die for as, when we had grievously offended him ; he will, now he is reconciled, do what remains in order to our sal- vation. When provocations lay in the way, yet he drove on this design of our salvation ; therefore he will do it much more, now those provocations are removed. When he looked upon us as offenders, he did much in order to our blessedness ; therefore, now he looks upon us as friends, he will not think much to effect what re- mains. If he was not willing that we should die, when \ve were guilty sinners, he will not be willing thaf we should die, now our guilt is removed. When lie" was angry, he spared no cost for our salvation ; we may be sure,lhen,he willnot,now he is pacified. Now there is no obstruction in the way of God's love to hinder the course thereof; justice is now satisfied ; God's anger is done a- \vay by Christ ; the sacrifice of Christ has pleased God, Eph. v. 2. Christ Jesus has wrought out " full rec- onciliation for us," Col. i. 20. God's anger is turned away through the mediation of Christ. God has satisfi- ed himself to his own content for the wrongs that they have done him ; so that there is no offence to ly as a bar in the way of their salvation. 3. If Chap. IV. the Righteousness of CHRIST. Sri 3. If God had so much love as to give his Son (o die for our salvation, when he might justly liave damned i^, surely he will save us when he cannot justly damn us, but is bound in justice to save us. When he might righteously have destroyed us, he put himself to great cost for cur salvation : then he will not break rules of righteousness to destroy us. God that would not take the opportunity (o destroy us when we are in his hands, and he might fairly have done it, will not now destroy us when he himself has brought us into such a condition, that he can- not righteously do it. God now stands bound unto Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ has suffered the law, and therefore God is bound to save all those that Christ died for. Up- on what account should they fear that God will damn them ? Not upon account of their sins ; they have been fully punished already. As it was an act of ju^ice in God to punish Christ upon the account of imputed sin, so it is an act of justice to save those that have an interest in Christ on the account of imputed righteousness. Jus- tice requires that they that are righteous, whether by per- sonal obedience, or imputed righteousness, should have life. Christ has paid a ransom for us, Mat. xx. 23. And therefore we must in justice be set free. 4. If God had such love as to send Christ to die for us, which mercy he was never satisfied for ; surely he will do ivhatelse is requisite for our salvation, being fully sat- isfied for that. It would be strange, if God, that has done such a thing as to give us his Son to die out of mcrs grace, without any recompence, should deny other things to us needful to complete our salvation, which he has tak- en satisfaction and recopence for. He that had such a SS The Safety of Appearing in Ghap. IV. flear love for us, lodo that which could not be paid for, without any price, will do the rest seeing, he has received the price of it. GocThas taken a price for our justifica- tion, sanctification and salvation, Tit. ii. 14. Eph. t. 14-. A'l covenant blessings are purchased. 5. God (hat had such love as to send his Son to die for ur salvation/^/ioz he would have' been no loser if we had not beensaved ; he will complete our salvation, seeing if he do it not now, he would be a loser. He would lose this cost that he has been at for our salvation. Jf lie should suffer those to perish ihat Christ died for,then the death of Christ would be in vain. Time was, he might hav,e lei sinners have per- ished, and have lost nothing by it ; but now, if he should let them perish that Christ died for, he would lose the glory of that undertaking. He would dishonor himself. He has laid a foundation with great cost ; if he should not finish his work, his expenses would be lost, and Christ's death wouUbe in vain. Bat, without doubt, God that has gone so far in this woik, and has expended a treasure of mercy in order to it, will yet lay out whatever shall be further requisite for the completing of it. Arg. IV. From the exaltation of ' Christ : Because Christ who was our surety is exalted by God ; it is safe for us to appear before God in his righteousness. Jesus Christ was a surety for us, Heb. vii. 22. " Jesus was a surety of a better testament." Jesus Christ was our undertaker, stood bound to satisfy our debt, and to salisfy the justice of God for the wrongs that we had ('one unto him ; and therefore " he was made a curse lot u:*." Gal. iii, 1 3. Our guilt was translated unto him. " God Chap. IV. the Righteousness of CHRIST. 85 " God laid on him the iniquities of us. all, w Isai. liii. 6, And the punishment that was inflicted on him, was pro- perly our punishment : " Surely lie hath borne our grief, and carried our sorrow." Isaiah liii. 4. It was lhat punishment that firstly did belong unto us. He suffered upon the account of his public office and undertaking, As Mediator, he gave himself a ransom for us. And Jesus Christ, who was our surety, after he had suffered for sinners, was gloriously exalted by God ; God has advanced him unto an estate of glory. This ex- altation of Christ does consist in three degrees. First, His resurrection from the dead. This has been confirmed from the testimony of angels, those holy crea- tures which would not deceive us, Mark xvi. 6. Luke xxiv. 4, 5, 6. ; from the testimony of his friends, who were well acquainted with him and could not easily be deceived. Actsii. 32. Acts x. 40, 41.; from the testi- mony of adversaries, men who would have been glad if it had been otherwise, men that were under no tempta- tion to lie for Christ, Mat. xxviii. 1 1. And this was ac- cording to the predictions of the Old Testament, 1 Cor, xv. 4. God put his soul into him again, and brought him out of the sepulchre. This was accomplished on the third day after his death. This time of his resurrec- tion was foretold of old, and that in sundry places, Luke xxiv. 3, 4, 5, 6. It was foretold in the books of Moses, Gen.xxii. 2k compared with Heb. xi. 19. ; in the Prophets, namely, in Jonah, chap. i. ii. Mat. xii. 40. ; in the Psalms, Pssl. xvi. 10. compared with Acts ii. 31. I i Secondly, #3 Th: Safety of Appearing in Chap. IV. Secondly, His ascending into heaven. His soul had leen in heaven at the time of his dealh ; but forty days nfler his resurrection, when he had confirmed his disci- ples in the truth of his resurrection, and instructed them in othrr things pertaining to the kingdom of God, his whole human nature was taken into heaven. He is said " to ascend above all heaven*," Eph. 4. 1O. ; that is, in- :o that heaven that is above the airy and starry heavens, ThlnUy, His sitting down at the right hand of God, II eb. iii. This phrase denotes glory; it is a metaphor tak- on fioin monarch*. To sit at the right hand of the prince is to sit in the second place of dignity ; the throne being .he highest, the Lord Jesus is advanced unto greater glo- y in heaven, as he is man, than any angel; in special, be ;ides other particulars, in having the administration xnd government of all things in his hand. This exalia ion of Christ is a clear evidence of God's accepting that sacrifice that he offered up for us ; and being fully satisfied for our sins by the sufferings of Jesus Christ. And there are three things therein, that serve to con- vince us hereof. 1. By Christ's exaltation, he is delivered from that suf- .'ig estate which our sins brought him into. He is here- by set free from that state of humiliation, which he was In for our sins. Vengeance had taken hold of Christ as eur surety ; the justice of God seized him ; he was ap- prehended as one liable to the law ; and God took ven- geance on him, and poured out wralh on him. But now, by his exaltation, he is *et at liberty. Justice has du- nsisseil Chap. IV. the Righteousness of CHRIST. 91 missed him; God has done exacting any more punish- ment on him ; which is a clear evidence that he is wholly discharged of thai guilt that was upon him. Christ sub- jected himself to the wrath of God, and God punished him as much as he pleased. Christ bore the curse, till God said it was enough. In his resurrection, God open- ed the prison door, and let him out. God sent an officer to deliver him from his grave, Mat. xxviii. 2. " The angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and came and rolled back the stone from the door." God's deliv- ering of Christ, evidenceth the satisfaction that he has received by his sufferings. If Christ were not risen, it would be an argument that sins were not satisfied for,. 1 Cor. xv. 17. "If Christ be not risen, your faith is vain,ye are yet in your sins." But his resurrection shews, that God's demands are answered ; and therefore, when Christ was raised from the dead, he is said to be justified. God gave him a legal acquittance and discharge from that guilt which he had taken upon him. 1 Tim. iii. 16. " God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the spirit." The apostle Paul expressed! it thus, " He was quicken- ed in the spirit," 1 Pet. iii. 18. So that when he was quickened, he was justified. Christ could never have been delivered out of the hands of justice, if he had not paid the utmost farthing. Hence we are said to have a lively hope by the resurrection of Christ. 1 Pet. i. 3. " God has begotten us again to a lively hope,, by the re- surrection of Jesus Christ from the dead/' This consid- eration is a means, by God's blessing, to beget a lively hope in us. The ground of our hope is the resurrection of Christ. It might better be rendered a living hope. The same word is rendered living,. 1 Pet, ii. 4. This 18 The Safety of Appearing m Chap. IV. is such an hope as will abide and continue; the hope that is built upon this foundation, will never fail ; other hopes may die away, but this is a living hope. A par- allel Scripture to this is, 1 Pet. iii. ]8. u We have the answer of a good conscience towards God, by the resur- rection of Jesus Christ." A well -informed conscience is satisfied wilh this. When a man's conscience accuses him of sins,they are manifest, and he cannot deny them ; heinous, and he cannot excuse them : yet this silences those accusations, that Christ is ri$cn. Conscience sees, in the resurrection of Christ, the satisfactoriness of his sufferings, and has peace on that account that the debt is paid. And, upon the same account it is, that Paul attributes power to the resurrec- tion of Christ, Phil, iii. 10. " That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection." Whe.n God sets this consideration home upon the heart, it has a mighty comforting power. This will raise up a drooping spirit. When a man is distressed indeed with the guilt of sin, the world has no power to comfort him ; his priviledges cannot, his 'duties cannot : but this thing set home, has power to ease his heart, refresh his soul, silence his con- science. The sense of this brings great comfort to a Christian. Ami the apostle mentions this consideration as the security of Christians against condemnation ; and as that which adds further encouragement to that which ris- es from his death, Rom. viii. 34. " Who is he that con- demneth ? it is Christ that died, yea rather that is risen again." 2. By Christ's exaltation, he is rewarded for his suffer- ings. God presently, upon his suffering?, took him up Chap. IV. the Righteousness of CHRIST. S>3 into heaven, and bountifully rewarded him for his under- taking. Some seem loath to grant that Christ did merit for himself; but there is no danger in affirming, that,ao c^rding to compact, God did gloriously recompence Christ for his obedience and sufferings for us. The pri- mary design of Christ's undertaking was to merit for us ; but it was every way suitable, that this service of his should be rewarded, Phil. ii. 8, 9. " He humbled him- self, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross : wherefore God also hath highly exalted him." God took wenderful contentment in it, that Christ would lay down his life for us. That is the intendment of that expression, " therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life," John x. 17. God did highly ap- prove of it, and took a complacency in it, and in Christ by reason of it ; and manifested Iris approbation by re- warding it. Christ has a glorious reward in heaven ; and this is an evidence that he has gone through his under- taking ; that he has not failed in the work that God com- mitted to him. If Christ had failed of righteousness, not only we, but he also weuld have failed of glory. Christ's own glory had a dependence upon his working out of perfect right- eousness as well as ours : his happiness and ours were embarked together. If he had not run the race, he had not been crowned : if he had not been a conqueror, he had not received the prize ; if he had sunk under the work, and not completed our redemption, God would not have bestowed this reward upon him. But since he has received a glorious reward, we may conclude he has done his work, and performed the office of a surety. This argument 30 The .Safely of Appearing in Chap. IV. argument the Spirit of God makes use of, John xvi. 8, 9, 10. " The Comforter will convince of lighteousness, because I go to my Father,and ye see rne no more." The way whereby Christ came to sit down on the. right hand of the majesty on high, ivas the purging of our sins with his bloody Heb. i. 3. The thing whereby Christ came to be admitted into the holy place, was the obtaining of eternal redemption for us, Heb. ix. 12. The way that he came to partake of that privilege of sitting down with his Father on his throne, was by overcoming the difficultiei of the work which he undertook, Rev. iii. 21. 3. By his exaltation, he has the administration of things put into his hands, that he may lestow upon sinners that salvation, in order to which he suffered. That he may put them into the possession of that glory which was the end of his undertaking. It is true that Jesus Christ en- tered upon his kingly power and office, as well as his o- tlier office 1 ?, from the first publishing of the covenant of grace, upon the fall of man. And Jesus Christ did in all ages execute that office, in governing the world, and be- stowing salvation on the elect. But the Scriptures do plainly set forth that Christ has some particular adminis- tration put into his hands since his sufferings, Eph. i. 20, 21, 22. Since his resurrection, God has put all things under his feet, Phil. ii. 9. Speaking of the same time, he says, f< God has given him a name above every name. " Rev. i. 18. " I am he that liveth, and was dead, and beheld, I am alive forevermore, Amen ; and have the keys of hell and death." The meaning of these Scrip- tures is, that since the exaltation of Christ, the adminis- tration of things is in the hands of the man Christ Jesus ; tie Chap. IV. the Righteousness of CHRIST. $1 the management of things is carried on by Christ as man. The Godhead is not excluded ; but Christ, as man, has an hand in the government of the world. Christ, in his human nature, will visibly manage the day of judgment* " God will judge (he world by the man whom he hath ordained," Acts xvii. 3 1 . And this administration is put into his hands, that he may bestow eternal life and salva- tion upon sinners, Acts v. 3. <( Him hath God exalied with his right hand, to be a Prince and a Savior, to give repentance to Israel and remission of sins." And if God, presently upon the obedience and sufferings of Christ, has put such power into his hands, it is a clear evidence that he has fully paid for our salvation. If Christ had fallen short of purchasing our salvation, God would not have given him a commission to have bestowed it. God would have stood for full satisfaction. He would have objected, that it would have been against justice to have saved them. But now, Christ having fully paid the debt God exalts Christ to his own right hand, and invests him with full authority to bring them unto blessedness. CHAP. V. The fifth Argument, from the Promise of Salvation to all those that do believe in the Righteousness of CHRIST. The sixth Argument, from the Command of believing in CHRIST'S Righteousness. Arg. V. 96 The Safety of Appearing in Chap. V. Arg. V. TH4T Righteousness which God by his pro- mise in the Gospel does encourage us to trust in for our Sal- vation, it is safe to appear before God in. That righteousnes that God proposers to us, to place our confidence in, adding a promise of eternal life, we may safely appear before him in. That righteousness is unquestionably sufficient to purchase our salvation, and we may safely have our dependence upon it, as the price of eternal life ; but God does in the gospel encourage us ty his promise to trust in the righteousness of Christ for salvation. He has promised eternal life to all them in the gospel that do believe in the righteousness of Jesus Christ. This I shall clear up unto you in these propositions, Prop. I. That the encouragement that God gives to those that believe in the righteousness of Jesus Christ, is, that they shall have eternal life. Sometimes in the Scripture \re find that they that believe shall have their sinsforgiv- cn, Acts x. 43. But we must not understand that they are only brought into a state of reconciliation at present, from which they may fall away again ; that only their former sins are pardoned ; so that if they should sin a- gain, it is at their peril of eternal damnation : but the thing that the gospel encourages believers with the hopes of, is salvation. Sometimes it is expressed in more gen- eral terms, that they shall " not be confounded," 1 Pet. xii. 6. " They shall not be cast out/' John VK 37. 'Sometimes it is expressed, that they " shall not enter in- to condemnation," John v. 24. Sometimes positively ; " That Ghap. V, the Righteousness of CHRIST. $7 *' That whosoever believeth on him, should not perish, but have everlasting life," John iii. 16. Prop. II. That God engages himself by promise to give believers eternal life. He does not give them some uncertain encouragement of it ; but binds himself by his promise. When God expresses himself in his word, " That he that believeth on the Son- hath everlasting life," John iii. 36, and " that he that believeth and is baptized shall be saved/' Maik xvi. 16.; he does not manifest merely his purposes, though all God's purposes are irrevocable ; neither are such expressions mere dec- larations of what God is frequently wont to do, as it is with many passages in the book of Proverbs : but they are proper promises. God himself calls them promises, 2 Tim. i. 1. " According to the promise of life by Je- sus Christ." SoRom.iv. 16. Gal. iii. 22. And this is a part of the covenant ; indeed the main part of it. God is bound by covenant to give life unto believers. And because Christ has purchased this and other bles- sings that God is by covenant engaged to bestow, he is called, " the Mediator of the new covenant," Heb. xii. 24<. And hence it is a part of faithfulness to preserve believers unto glory, 1 Thes. v, 23, 24. The faithful* ness of God stands bound unto believers, Heb. x. 2, 3. **$&", . IV Prop. III. This promise of eternal life is made to those that believe on the righteousness of Christ. Those that have their dependence upon the blood and redemption of Jesus Christ ; all tho;e that have their expectation from the righteousness of Christ, shall be saved, Rom. ii. 25. " Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation K througk 98 The Safety of Appearing in Chap. V. through faith in his blood." We must place our faith in the sufferings of Jesus Chiist. This is what faith tri- umphs in as the matter of justification, Rom. viii. 34. " Who is he that condemneth ? It is Christ that died." Quest. Here we may enquire, What act of faith it is f that is the condition of the covenant of grace f Am. I. That act of faith that is the condition of tlis covenant, 2*5 a relying upon God th l! ^h Jesus Christ fob salvation as offered in, ihe gospel. There? x r^?iny arts of saving faith besides this. Faith respects the whole book of God ; all ihe promises, threatening*, prophecies therein. By saving faith we believe the creation of the wet not understand either the manner of it, that it should be done by the priests and people of Israel ; or net un- derstand the time of it, being carried away with the vul- gar error of the Jews, that the Messiah would set up a glorious worldly kingdom : but it is very hard to con- ceive, that they should be wholly ignorant of the signifi- cation of the sacrifices, and of the meaning of many pro- phecies of the Old Testament respecting this thing, 1 Pet. i. 11. Prop. IV. The promise to those that believe in Christ, is universal. There be some indefinite promises, which are declarations of what God will do for some or many of his people ; and no particular saint can from thence conclude, that they shall be made good unto them 5 but this promise is universal, hereby God absolutely binds himself to every believer to give him eternal life. 1. This appears, because the words of universality are added to the promise ; so that God becomes engaged to every believer. So the promise is sometimes expressed to all, Acts xiii. 39. " All that believe are justified." So Rom. iii. 22. And by all, we are not to understand, as sometimes, some of all sorts, but all and every one, for so it is expressed somei imes, John iii. 16. "Who- soever believeth on him shall have everlasting life/* Acts x, S3. " Whosoever believeth on him shall have remis- K k sipn 102 Ike Safety of Appearing in Chap. V, sion of sins." So that God engages himself to believers wan by man. So he speaks to men particulaily, " If any man hear my voice and open unto me, I will come in/* &c. Rev. iii. 20. 2. There is no limitation of this promise expressed in the tvhote Scriptures. Sometimes there is some condition, that a promise is to be understood with, that is set down in some other place of Scripture, but there is not any thing expressed in the Scripture that does limit or restrain *k* promise ; or confine it to some believers. In Mark . 1(5. it is said, " He that believeth and is baptized, shall be saved." But being baptized, is no part of the condition of salvation, but is mentioned as a fruit and evidence of faith. That it is not a condition is plain : because in the threatening that is added, he does not say, that he that is not baptized shall be damned ; but he that kelieveth not. Holiness is not properly a condition of salvation : Such promises as make mention of hol'-ness, do not make God's covenant with believers conditional. Holiness is no such condition as renders the salvation of believers un- questionable. Such promises as mention it, only shew the order and way wherein God will bestow salvation on believers. Holiness is a promised condition : God is en- gaged to give holiness to believers, 1 Thes. v. 22, 23. Holiness cannot be properly a condition, because, before his perseverance in holiness he is justified; that is, de- clared an heir of glory, Rom. v. 1. Therefore the con- dition is already fulfilled. God offers life to sinners up- on the condition of believing : and the very mentioning of that condition is exclusive of any other. The * - , 6hap. V. the Righteousness of CHRIST. loS The invitation to believe, is sometimes directed to some particular sorts of sinners : As to those that are thirsty, Isaiah Iv. I. To those that labour and are hea- vy laden, Mai. xi. 28. But it is one thing for an invita- tion to be particularly applied to this or that sort of sin* ners; another thing for it to be confined unto them* The invitation is directed to all sinners that live under the gospel, except those that have committed the unpar- donable sin. The promise is absolute to all believers, without any exception at alh ' " 3. 1 here is no I imitation of the promise to be stood. There is no exception to be understood. Meta need not fear that God has some reservation in his own breast : for no exception that is not fairly to be under- stood, can be of any force to avoid the performance of a promise. Nothing can be understood to contradict what is expressed. Besides God tells us that there is no exception, John vi. 37. " He thatcometh unto me I will in nowise cast out." Prop. V. That the promise of eternal life is made t& one act of believing on Jesus Christ. It is not the habit but the act of fahh, that the promise is made to. The promise under the covenant of woiks was not made to habitual holiness ; and the promise under the covenant of grace is not made to habLual faith. As a woman's disposition to marry a man, does not give her a right to liim or his estate, but the actual marrying of the man, so it is here: it is in a way of covenanting that we have an interest in the covenant of grace. The Scripture sets forth that faith that gives us right in the covenant of grace, by .1(H The Safety of Appearing in Chap. V. ^PP> ' by words that signify actions ; as coming t& Christ, open- ing to him, believing on Itim, and the like. But il is one act of believing that makes a man an heir of life. God offers eternal life on condition of one act of believing. When God says, "He that bdieveth shall be saved ; w the meaning is nof, that he that believeth as long as he lives shall be saved, but he that performeth on^ act of faith ; one act of faith gives a man as real an inie^st in Christ as a thousand. One act of covenanting makes up the match : one act of closing with Christ makes a man an heir of life. After acts of faith may evidence his thle to heaven, but it is the first act of faith that gives him his title. God offers life to us in the gospel on this condition, that we will accept of it, John v. 24. And it is unrea- sonable to think, that the meaning of it is, if we ac- cept of it an hundred or a thousand times, or as long as we live ; but the meaning is, if we do once accept of it : and therefore, those that have accepted of it, are said to have eternal life, 1 John v. 13. This further appears, 1 . Because they that have performed one act of faith ore already justified and adopted. Their sins are pre- sently pardoned on their coming to Christ. God does not suspend the act of justification, & wait to see wheth- er they will continue to believe ; but out of hand he issues out a pardon for them. If called, then justified, Rom. viii. 30. And these are presently adopted, John i. 12. And there is no revoking of these acts. 2. When once men believe it is part of God's cov enaj* to make them to continue to believe. It cannot be properly the V * : fr Chap. V. the Righteousness of CHRIST. ItS the condition of the covenant ; for it is^ a part of the mercy promised unto us when we come unto Christ : all the subsequent acls of faith are part of that salvation that God promises : And surely that which is due unto us by the covenant, cannot be properly the condition of the covenant ; Continuance of faith is part of that sancti- fication which God has engaged to us, 1 Cor. i. 30. 3. If God did not offer life upon condition of one act of believing, we should not have sufficient encouragement to perform one act of believing on Christ.. If God should say to a sinner, if you will accept of the offer of salva- tion, both now and hereafter, I will save you. What ground could the sinner have to believe ? The sinner would readily say, How do I know that I shall believe hereafter ? He could see no safety in such an offer. A presumptuous sinner that doated on his own strength, might venture on it : but a man that knows himself, coukl not find rest in such an offer; but now when he of- fers life to us, if we will now accept it, the soul can find encouragement enough there, Jer. iii. 22. And since God has promised life unto all that believe in the righteousness of Christ ; it must needs be safe to ap- pear before God in this righteousness. We need no great- er assurance of salvation than the promise of God : this is a sufficient security to believers, whatever unlikeli- hoods may appear to them, at any time, of their salvation. The faithfulness ot God stands engaged,, and this is a foundation of everlasting comfort. The witness of Gsd gives greater assuiance, than the testimony of all the men in the wo Id : If ive believe the witness of men, the the witness if God is greater, John v. 9. This we may securely 106 The Safety -of Appearing in Chap. V. securely rejoice in : " The words of the Lard are pure word 1 ?, a< silver tried in a furnace of earth purified seven times/' Psal. xii. 6w There is no deceit or fraud in God's promises: this is armour of proof against all (emplation. " His truth shall be thy shield and buckler/' Psal. xci. 4. I four souk were a thousand times dearer to us than they are, we might quietly venture them on the promise of God. God has made a promise to us ; has sent his servants to publish it in his name ; has ordained the office of i\vz ministry to witness it unto us from him : and surely he has not appointed them to go with a lie in their mouths. ^ God has not only said if, but given it us under his Ji and, left it upon record, \.o be a witness for us. " This is the record that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son/' 1 John v. IK And we may quie.ly, rely on ihi* : it is impossible that the promise of God shou d faJ of its accomplishment. "God is faithful, 1 Tries, v. 23. "He is. very f'ai-hful/' Psal. cxix. 138. " His faithfulness reacheih unto the clouds,". Paiu! generations/' Psai. cv. S. God i- unchangeable. Men are fickle and inconstant, in one rrind to-clu), and anther ;o-mnrrwv. Sometimes men qhange trjeir minds oiu oi meie fickleness, sometimes from f : Chap. V. the Righteousness of CHRIST. 107 from ihe change of 'heir condition, or divers appearances in providences ; but God is no t subject to any mutation. His purposes are more firm, than mountains of bra*s. He says, " repentance sha 1 be hid from his eye>/' Hoi. xiii. 14. God is perfectly ho j y> and thetelbre cannot fail of his word. Men having a 'principle of sin in ihtm, rr.ay be out-b'd to neglect the fulfilling of iheir protr; -es; but there is not the least spark of unhcliness in God : holiness is his nature, Isai. vi. 3. Yea, such is ihe per- fection of God's nature, that he is not liable to tho-eteflip*- Wions to speak false that men are. Mtn sometimes speak false out of/ear : they fear the anger and contempt of men : but God fears none. Men sometimes speak fal j e in hope of gain. Jacob lies to get the ble^ing ; GehaziiQ enrich himself: but God is not capable to gain any thing by the creature. Men sometimes speak false, that they may appear belter than they are ; but ii. is impossible that God should appear more gracious and glorious than he is. Men sometimes decline fulfilling of their promises, because it proves difficult to do if, or biings some unthought-of inconveniences upon ihem; but every thing is easy to God ; every thing is known unto him before the foundation of the world. God hav- ing engaged salvation to believers, they may say a* Da- vz'd," Therefore we will not fea*-, (hough the earth be removed/* &c. The salvation of believers 9 and theAon- our of God's faithfulness are embarked together; they must sink and swim together. Believers cannot fail of sa.'vaiion, or.le;* God fail of his lc>ry ; unless God's word far, which is unpossibie, the salvation of belters cannot fail. Ar*. VL . " *>v *&. 101 77ie Safety of Appearing in Chap. -Arg. VI. Jhey that are commanded of God to believe in the righteousness of Christ, may safely appear before God in the righteousness of Christ ; but we are commanded ty God to believe in the Righteousness of Christ. Though the calls of the gospel are many times pro- pounded in a way of invitation, they are set before us as i;acious offers, wherein God is in away of grace tender- ing a great benefit unto us ; yet they have the force of eommands. I might argue the safety of coming unto Christ, fror* -thence, that we are invited to come unto him for help. For surely, in those invitations, God does not go about to delude men, and lovingly draw them in, to take such a method for the salvation of their souls,as would fail them. It is not to be imagined, that the glorious God would with great seeming love to the souls of men, draw them into a snare, and with an appearance of good-will to them, ad- rise them to take a course that were not safe. It is not lobe thought that God would lovingly, and with a. great deal of tenderness, persuade men to set their feet in slip- pery places, and build their hopes upon a sandy founda- tion. There is no such delusion in the gospel. He would not urge men with such compassion to put their trust in Christ, but that the welfare of their souls is secur- ed thereby : they may, without fear, venture upon the counsels and entreaties of the Lord ; being secure in that that God will not lead them into danger. When God advises us to trust in Christ, he commends this way to us a way of safety : for it is no part of love to .advise us t* i confidence in. a broken reed. ** Chap. V. tie Righteousness of CHRIST. H)> But besides w'hal may be argued this way, these invi- tations have in them the force of commands, and lay us under duty, in obedience unto God, to come unto Christ. As there is love in these calls, so there is authority also. We are not left at liberty, whether we will come to Christ or no, but are required to come. God does pre- scribe this way, and enforce it both by his love, and al- so his authority. God, that has put Jesus Christ into of- fice, doth require us to receive him in ?11 his offices, Psal. 5i. 12. And, among other Ways, to be putting our trust in him. Therefore this is called the work of God, John vi. 29. This is the great business that he has set us (o- do ; and this i< called his commandment, 1 John iii. 23. ; which shews not only that it is commanded, but that this is the special commandment, that God lays peculiar weight upon. And hence it is a sin for men not to believe in Je^us Christ. This the Spirit reproves for, John xvi. 9, of sin, because they believe not on me. Hence God is angry with those that stay away from Christ, Luke xiv. 21. This command of believing in Christ, is a branch of the second commandment in (he law. By that command, it is required, that we should worship in that way he ap- points ; that we should attend such worship as is institut- ed by him, and not devised by man : and this is the great institution of God under the covenant of grace, that we worship him by Jesus Christ, seek to God through him, and believe in God through him. Jesus Chiist is the great ordinance that God has set up to be worshipped by. Jesus Christ as God, is to be worshipped wiih di- vme worship, by virtue of the first command. Jesus L Christ ilO The Safety of Appearing in Chap. V. Christ as Mediatory is the means whereby we are to diavv nigh to God, by virtue of the second commanJ. As the sacrifices of old were a piincipal ordinance whereby God was to be worshipped ; so Christ, who was typified by those sacrifices, was, and is the principal ordinance whereby fallen roan is to draw nigh unto God, and through whom we are to believe in him. And this command of God does argue the safety of ap- pearing in Christ's righteousness ; the command of God does evidence our assured salvation in this way. This would never have been commanded of God, if it were not safe. And this appears by three things, 1 . If it le commanded, that we believe in Jesus Christ's righteousness , then it zs lawful for us so to do. God would never put us upon that, which in its own nature isnoi law- ful. It must needs be a warrantable thing for us to put Our trust in the righteousness of Christ : there can be no unlawfulness in attending to that which God requires : But, if it were not safe to appear in the righteousness of Christ, it could not be lawful to believe in it ; it would be an irregular thing to put our trust therein. And that on two accounts, (1.) It would be a putting of too much honor upon Christ and his righteousness. If it were not safe appear- ing in Christ's righteousness, then Christ's righteousness were not worthy to be believed in. If it were not safe trusting in it, then we should give too high a commenda- tion to it, when we believe in it ; for when we believe Chap. V. the Righteousness of CHRIST. lit in it, we proclaim it to be safe so to do. It would be an idolizing of Christ's righteousness, to trust in it, if it were not safe so to do : It is a fault to believe in that which cannot save. When we believe in Christ's right- eousness, we give him the honor of having purchased salvation for us : if it were not safe to trust in Christ's righteousness, then in so doing we should give him a glo- ry that belongs not to him. (2.) It would be self -flattery for us to believe in the right- eousness of Christ. If it were not safe appearing in it, it could not be lawful to trust in it : to trust in it would be presumption. What would it be, but to delude ourselves, and to please ourselves with an idle dream, which would deceive us ? Men are blamed in the word of God for such confidences, Isaiah xxix. 8. It is not lawful cr war- ran able for us to believe in that which we have not suffi- cient encouragement to believe in ; but we have not suffi- cient encouragement (o believe in the righteousness of Christ, if ii be not safe to appear before God in it. What can encourage us to depend upon, and be satisfied in that, which it is not safe to depend upon ? 2. If it be commanded that we believe on the eou^ness of Christ, then it is duty so to do : Then we are bound in conscience to come unto Christ; we cannot without sin stay away from Christ ; and therefore, surely it is safe to trust in the righteousness of Christ. The ho- ly God would never make it out; duty to trust in that which is not a sufficient ground of faith. It were an hard lesson, lo be bound in conscience to do that, which we could not sa-isfy our consciences in doing. It were wild ness }\'2 Tfiic Safety of Appearing in CMiap. V* wildncw for any man to imagine that God should com- mand us to love that which is not lovelv, or to mourn for that which is not a matter of sorrow, or to rejoice in that which is not a matter of joy. So it is to think that God should require us to trust in that which is not a ground of confidence. That would be very hard, for God to bind us to put our confidence in that which we could not put our confidence in, except we were out of our wits. If it were not safe to put our trust in Christ's righteousness, what could induce us to do it, except we were under a delusion ? It is against nature /or man to put confidence in any thing but under this notion, that there is ground of confidence in it. What pefsuasions can prevail to make men rest in that, which they could not safely rest upon ? The Lord is a righteous God, and gives no such unequal command; all his commands are righteous, he requires but what is equal, Psal. cxix. 138. 3. If God commands us to believe on the righteous- ness of Jesus Christ, then we must do it upon pain of dam- nation, if we fail thereof. Every sin does by law de- serve death : and the continuance in the neglect of any known command, doe unavoidably bring death and ru- in ; and so the neglect of this command, John iii. 18. * He that believeth not is condemned alieady, because he hath no! believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God."' Certainly, then, it must be a safe thing to believe on Jesus Christ. If there be no safety in believ- ing, there is no reason that we should be punished for pot believing : if there be no safety in believing in Christ,, then it is madness to believe in Christ ; and wi'l God punish us for not acting the part of madmen ? It were> an Chap. V. the Righteousness of CHRIST. 113 an unreasonable thing for a man to believe in Christ, if it were not safe so to do ; and therefore unreasonable that he should be punished for not doing of it. Will God damn men for not building their hopes for heaven upon the sand ? Will God cast a man into hell, because he will not embrace a delusion, and put his confidence in a brok- en reed ? The Lord is a righteous God and would never punish men for not believing, if they had not abundant encouragement to believe. The command of this holy God gives us great security in believing, John xii. 50. " I know that his command is life evei lasting." Object. Here it may be objected against this argu- ment, That we are commanded by God to believe for ma- ny things, and to believe in the righteousness of Christ, for them which ice have no certain security that we shall enjoy in a way of believing : whatever zve pray for, we must do it believing : and we must do it hi the name of Christ: Thus we are to believe for health, for the conversion of all our children, for rain, and other public mercies. So that it is no hard or unreasonable thing, to be commanded to be^ lievefor that which is not sure in a way of believing ; nei- ther do we want sufficient encouragement to believe, though the thing we believe for be not sure to us in that way. Ans. That act of faith which is ihe condition of the cor- enant of grace t is far differing from other acts of faith that are required of us. We do believe for a metcy, when by a spirit of faith we take hold of any of those en- couragements which God gives us, with respect to that mercy. That when we are encouraged by the power of God, the mercy of God, the love of God to us, inde/U L 1 nite 114 The Safety of Appearing in Chap. V. nife promises, the redemption of Christ, to rely upon God vviih quietness for a mercy, with submission to his holy will ; we do believe in God for that mercy. And this we have sufficient encouragement to do, though there be no certainty that we shall enjoy the mercy in that way. And this God may fairly command us, though he does not absolutely promise the mercy. But that faith which is the condition of the covenant of grace, does much differ from this ; that is an accepting of Christ and salvaiion by him as offered to us, and a relying on him for it ac- cording to the promise of the gospel. That this is the faith that is required as ihe condition of the covenant of grace is evident ; because it is called a receiving of Christ. Justifying faith is the receiving of the promise of the gos- pel ; it is a relying upon God in Christ according to the invitations of the gospel. And God would never require us to accept of an offer, and rely upon him for it, if it were not safe so to do. How is it possible for any man to rely upon God for the making good of his offer, if it were not safe so to do ? CHAP. VI. The seventh Argument, ft om the Spirit's assuring men of the truth of the Gospel. The eighth Argument, from God's bestowing the beginnings of Salvation on Believ- ers, here in this world. Arg. VII. THAT Righteousness which the Spirit *f God convinces and assurcth men, that they may safely appear Chap. VI. the Righteousness of CHRIST. 115 appear before God in ; that they may safely appear in : but the Spirit of God does convince and assure men that: they may safely, appear befote God in the. Righteousness of Christ.^ Th&t must needs be true which (he Spirit convinces men to be true. Satan labours to shake men's belief of this, and raises doubts and questions in the heart about it, and from thence we may argue probably that it is true ; but the spirit of God does persuade and convince raen of the truth of it, and establishes the heart in it, and from thence may infallibly argue the truth of it. In opening and clearing this argument, we may consid- er, 1 . That many men are convinced and assured, that'it is safe appearing before God in the Righteousness of Christ. There are some kind of persuasions about it in the heaits of many others, that are bottomed partly upon (he testi- mony of men, partly upon the rationalness of the doc- trine ; and these persuasions may work some considera- ble effects on their hearts. But there are some that have a thorough conviction of it, whose hearts are truly satis- fied in the truth of it. This is evident, (1.) Because they do believe this. The doctrine of the gospel is believed by many, Acts xv. 7. " That the Gentiles by my mouth should hear the word of the gos- pel and believe." There be some that do receive the testimony of Christ, John iii. 33, and by faiih entertain the nQ The Safety of Appearing in Chap. VI. the doctrine of salvation by his sufferings, though they be hut few comparatively, Laiah l:ii. 1. ; and therefore thev are assured of it. Far that knowledge which we have of things by faith in God, is certain. That know- lege which we have of things by our believing the testi- mony of man, is fallible, and it leaves room for doubt- ings ; but the knowledge that we have of things by our believing the /e5/mo??y of God is certain, and as abund- antly satining to the heart, as that which we have by the seeing of the eye, or by demonstration, The know- lege ihat we have by faith, is a knowlege at second hand. But God gives us sufficient assurance, that it is he that speaks, and that his testimony is (rue. . Therefore, when men do believe, they are said to be persuaded, Heb. xi. 13. " They saw the promises afar off, and were per- suaded of them/' So they are said to know surely, John xvii. 8. " They have known surely that I came out from thee, and they have believed that thou didst send me." So they are said !o be sure, John vi. 69. " We believe and are sure that thou art the Christ/' (2.) Because they believe on Christ, and venture their souls upon him. 1 Tim. iii. 16. " Believed on in (he wcr'd." 1 John v. 13. " I have written to you that believe on the Son of God/' And this is the effect of their assurance, that it is safe appearing in Christ's right- eousness. If they were not convinced of that, no argu- ments wou'd persuade them to venture upon Christ. When men come to Christ, they come under that con- viction, that it is safe coming unto him. The "gospel works effectually in them that believe/' 1 Thes. ii. 13. Every one that comes to Christ "hath the witness in himself/' Chap. VI. the Righteousness of CHRIST. 117 himself/' J John v. 10. This makes them come with bold- ness unto Christ, though there be many others that area- frald to come. If they were afraid of the truth of the gospel they would be afraid to come too, they would noi dare to cast themselves on Christ. Before they were convinc- ed, they withstood all arguments that could be u not ihe outward call, because he speaks of it as a proper effect vb predestination, and certain forerunner of justification. And this inward call is nothing else but the enligkttning of the mind to see the truth and ce tainiy of the out- ward call. So that those arguments which God sets before us in his word to persuade us to come to Christ, those he satisfies our hearts in, by the inward work of his Spirit. By his Spirit he sets home the pre- cepts, invitations and promises of the gospel. This in- ward call is that which sastisfies the heart ; so that it * answers the call of God. Object. 1 . It scans not to le the work of the Spirit to convince men that they may safely appear in Christ's right" eousncss ; because after they have been convinced, they doubt again, and call it in question whether they may ven- ture on the righteousness of Christ. Am, We may well argue, that if they have been convinc- ed Chap. VT. the Righteousness a/* CHRIST. I2f ed thoroughly by the Spirit, they will never be utterly ozr- ried away with unbelief to reject this truth : but we ca?z- not conclude they would never doubt. Men may call those things in question which they have learned by the Spirit of God. So (lie prop/iet did, I Kings xiii. 17, 18, 19. Yea, men may question things that they have been taught by the saving work of the Spirit. God revealed it to, the disciples, that Jesus was the son of God, Mat. xvi. 16, 17. yet afterwards they questioned it, Luke xxiv. 21. they say, "We verily thought it had been he that should have redeemed Israel/' The Psalmist, no doubt, had been convinced, that God is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him ; and yet afterwards, he had such workings of hean as these, " Verily I have cleansed my heart in vain/' Psal. Ixxiii. 13. And it is no wonder; fer the blindness of the mind is but in part removed, and sometimes they have not the exercise of that light which is in them. The Devil is busy to throw scruples and objections into their hearts ; and they have several principles in themselves that lead them to doubt those things that God has convinced them of: they have a principle of unbelief, carnal reason and enmity to the tru h, so that it is no wonder that they have doubts about it. Object. 2. If men were convinced by the Spirit, they would have more understanding than many of them haveuf this way of salvation : many of th?m understand very lit- tle of the consistency of this way of salvation with the taiv of God ; how the sufferings of one could answer for so ma- TMJ ; there are many objections that they do not see through. Ans. lt\f The Safety of Appearing i Chap. VI. 4ns. Every one that is taught of the Spirit, has so witch knowledge in this way of life, as is a foundation for faith. He murt have so much knowledge, as that his conscience may be satisfied in the truth of it. It is also true, that the teachings of the Spirit do clarify men's un- derstandings : they come hereby to have clear concep- tions of gospel truths : but men maybe taught by the Spirit, and yet be very unable to give a resolution of many objections. The disciples were taught of God, that Jesus was the Son of God, Mat. xvi, 17. and yet knew not \vhat to say to that objection, " that Elias must first come/' Mat. xvii. 19. Though a Christian cannot an- swer many objections about the sufficiency of Christ's righteousness, yet he knows that, that will satisfy his heart that it is sufficient ; namely, that God gives this tes- timony to it, and invites him to venture upon it. 4. Consider, in what way the Spirit of God works this conviction and assurance ; and that is by a spiritual illu- mination of the mind. The Spirit of God is not wont, in adult- persons, to reveal this doctrine in any extraor- dinary way ; he works this conviction in such adult per- sons only as have the knowlege of the doctrine by hear- ing and reading of the word. Men must not expect to be taught that in a miraculous way, which they may learn in an ordinary way : neither would this be sufficient to work a thorough conviction and assurance of it : a man may have things revealed unto him extraordinarily by God, that has no faith ; as Balaam. Neither does he Spirit assure men of ihis in a way of testimony. The Spirit of God is wont to testify and witness some things to the souls of the saints. " The Spirit itself beareth witness VI. th? W\J'.teousne.&s of CHRIST. 125 witness wi h GUI Sj iuts, that weare the children of God, Rom. viii. 16. Bui he does not in that way reveal unto men the truth of the doctrine or' the gospel ; but he open- eth our eyes to see the truth of it. The Spirit gives us eyes to see, and also the actual understanding of the truth of the gospel. He puts a principle of spiritual under- standing into us by a work of creation. ' Ye were sometime darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord," Eph. v. 8. He also assists us actually to discern the truihof this way of salvaiion by Christ : while (he soul is hearing, reading, and meditating of it, he puts a light into him, discovering it to be true.. And, sometimes while the soul is thinking of his misery, the Spirit brings to remembrance some word, and with that puts a light into the sou), that satisfies the heart in the truth of the gospel. And this is wrought these three ways. (1.) The Spirit helps us to see the truth of this in the t&timony of God in his word. It is not any inward tes- timony that our faith depends upon ; but the testimony of God in his word, and the inward work of the Spirit, is to help us to receive the sure word of prophecy ; and depend upon that. God witnesses in his word plentiful- ly to that, that there is salvation wrought out for us by Christ, that he has redeemed us, purged away our sins, brought in everlasting righteousness. And in this testi- mony of God we see the truth of the thing itself; the Spirit satisfies the heart, and clears it up to him, that this is God's testimony, that it is no deceit, that it is not any device or forgery of man, under a pretence of God's testimony ; but that this is the very word of God. The word conies m God'* name, and has many characters of M m divine If 6 Tlit Safety /Appearing in Chap. VL divine authority in it ; and the soul is satisfied that it h God's word, 1 Thes. ii. 13 *' Ye received it not as the word of men, but (as it is in .ruth) the word of God." The Spirit also satisfies the heart in the faithfulness of God. Naturally men have no assurance of the faithful- ness of God, though they profess k ; but the Spirit con- vinces the soul, that the Lord is a God of truth. " I know him whom I have believed," 2 Tim. i. 12. He does, with Sarah, judge him faithful that has promised. And here> though his soul be precious to him) yet he can quietly venture it upon his word. (2.) The Spirit helps us to see the certainty of this, in a way of reasoning from other principles which ive do un- doubtedly receive. There is an assurance by arguing from such things as vre are certain of. This is caled " the demonstration of the Spirit," 1 Cor. ii. 4. When once a roan is principled in that foundation, that the tes- timony of God in his word is certain and infallible ; then he is assured of such principles as these, That Jesus Christ, who was our surety, is exalted to the right hand of God ; that sinners are invited to rely upon the blood of Christ ; that Christ has fulfilled the righteousness of the law for us. For these things are plainly laid down in the word of God. He had the notion of these things be- fore, but now he is assured of them ; and being assured of them, God helps him to argue from them the infallible certainty of salvation by Christ's righteousness. John xvi. 10. " The Spirit convinces of righteousness be- cause I go to my Father."" So a Christian sometimes af- ter he is come to Christ, finds by experience in that way, (he sanctifying and comforting presence of God with him hap. VI, the Righteousness of CHRIST* 127 him : and from hence he argues, and is more established in the doctrine of salvation by Christ. (3.) The Spirit helps to see the glorious excellency cf God and Jesus Christ ; and thereby the great, objet ions of hisheait do vanish awa\, and fall of their own accord. There are some less objeciions which arise from want of distinct knowlege, and from a misunderstanding of some places of scripture, which, tHough they prove tempta- tions, yet do not wholly hinder the workings of faith : ; But the main objections in the heart were, that God could not find in his heart to pardon such .sins as they have been guilty of, and that the law threatens them with ruin. But the Spirit discovers unio the soul the excellen- cy of God and Christ, the riches of God's grace, and the preciousness of the righteousness of Christ ; and then , those objections fallj Psal. xxxvi. 7. " How excellent is thy loving kindness, O Lord ! therefore the sons of men put their trust under the shadow of thy wings." John xvii. 3. " This is life eternal, that they might know > ihee, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom theu hast sent." ' 5. Consider, That this is a great work of GodYSpirif, 1 to convince men, and assure them thai it is safe appearing in the righteousness of Christ, < It is a matter of exceed- - ing great difficulty to give entertainment unto this tnuh ; , and hence it is, that many men are never satisfied in it , all their days; they continue all their lives long under the means of grace, and yet never come unto the know- legeof this truth ; and many others whom God has per- suaded of it, have been Jong before they were sausfad j though 128 The Safety of Appearing in hap. VI. though they have been full of inward trouble ami 'vars, and thereby put upon it ;o be inqui nive in o jhe v ay of salvation, vet were long before ihe) came to Ch i>t ; their heaits were unsa'i>fr.'d about iheir safety in so do- ing : and afier prevailing and clear conviction, doubts are ever and anon arising in their hearts. And ibi* dif- ' ficuUy must needs be very great, considering these things, (1.) That man in kis natural slate i* an enemy to this way of salvation As man is an enemy to the law of Gud, o ii:t',ced ; yet tiiete is that which falls under the ob- servation of the world, that may considerably help forward th*u satisfaction in this particular. 1 . Among those that do profess to believe in Christ, there are n;any thar Lve in such a manner, lhat there is not evidence that they are not sanctified. It is not so with all hose tha< prote^s to believe in Christ : there are many that make such a profession, that have no faith ; and therefore it is no wonder if (hey be not sanctified. But there be many, in whose lives there is no evidence that they are destitute of holiness : no man can jusily charge them with Jiving in any known sin, with any unmortified -corruption, or acting from a corrupt principle in religion ; but ihis cannot be said concerning o.hers that do not make ibis profession. Mo,-al men among the Heathens, Turks or Jews, there are few or none of them, but would make it evident to a man of a discerning spirit, that was famil- iarly acquainted with them, that they vrere under the rule and power of some to*. 2. Among those that profess to believe in Christ, there are mrny men in whom there are very speaking evidences that they lead an holy life. They do not only walk inof- fensively in their conversation, bui there is a great deal of the brea\hings of a spirit of holiness in them ; their carriage savours- of the fear of God, love to God, sub- to the will of God, care for the, advancement of the glory, Chap. VI. the Righteousness of CHRIST. 133 glory of God : their carriage has a great relish of piety and holiness : there is as much appearance of holiness as can ordinarily be expected from men that have still a principle of corruption remaining in them. 3. Many of those luho have formerly lived a corrupt life, when once they are in appearance brought home to Christ, do give great evidences of an holy life. Many that live among the people of God do live very corruptly ; but when once such men come to embrace the gospel in appearance, many of them do become very exemplary in holiness, cast off all their former ways of sin, and live an humble, spiritual, obediem life, as far as man can judge. But there are two ways whereby the truth of this is e- vident above exception. One, is by the testimony of God's word. The Scrip- ture does commonly give the title of Saints unto believers. Henc that tide of Saints in Christ Jesus is given to the church at Philippi, Phil. i. 1. So they are called holy brethren, that are partakers of the heavenly calling, Heb. iii. 1. And saints, and faithful in Christ Jesus, are used as terms equivalent, Eph. i. I. All those that are im- planted into Christ, do crucify their corruptions, Gal. v. 24. Hence good works are a demonstration of the truth of faith, Jam. ii. 18. Another way whereby it is made evident, is by the t\r- perienceof many saints. Hereby it is made evident lo them, though not urv'o the world : every believer has ex- perience of a great change in himself, though they have many fears whether it be indeed a life of holiness that N they 134 The Saftty of Appearing m Chap. VI. they live ; it is exercising unto them whether they go be- yond hypocrites, and are acted by any higher principles than self-love and conscience. Yet there be several that at times d& evidently see a spirit of holiness work'ng in themselves ; so that their consciences do bear witness that they are the children of God. Besides what they do per- ceive of a daily bent of heart to keep God's commands, there are at times more visible and sensible actings of grace. There are at times when the strings are wound up to the height, when grace breaks forth as the light, and the heart is satisfied in that, that he has a spirit of holiness. John xxi. 17. " Lord thou knowest all things, thou knowest that I love thee." Psal. xviii. 23. " I was also upright before him/* And this sanctification which the people of God have, they have in a way of believing. Some take sanctification so largely, as to comprehend the work of regeneration, and count regeneration also an effect of closing with Chtist. But I will not now discuss that controversy ; though there is no doubt but regeneration is the fruit of Christ's purchase. But I take sanctification for that work of God's Spirit, whereby he does more and more purge a~ way the remainders ofsin 9 and carry on the work of holiness in the hearts of his people ; and this is the fruit of faith in Christ. Acts xxvi. 18. " They are sanctified by faiih that is in me." Gal. ii. 20. " I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me." And this sanctification comes from Christ's pur-* chase ; he has, by his death, redeemed us from the power of sin. Tit. ii. 4. " Who gave himself for us that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify to himself peculiar Chap. VI. tKe Righteousness of CHRIST. 13 peculiar people, zealous of good works." So John xvii. 1 Pet. i. 18, 19. Heb. ix, 14. 2. The people of God have inward spiritual comfort in a way of believing in the righteousness of Christ. It is very true, that many men that do not profess the true religion, and many others, that though they do profess the true religion, yet do not in sincerity embrace it, have much inward comfort under an expectation of blessedness hereafter. But the people of God that do believe in Je- sus Christ, have inward comfort in that way peculiar to themselves. Which we may consider under these two heads, of peace of conscience, and communion with God. 1. The people of God in a way of believing, have peace of conscience. And this is not a particular privi- lege of some believers, but a blessing that all do in some degree partake of. Those men thai before their coming to Christ, were under the terrors of an evil conscience, conscience was terrifying of them, and binding them over to eternal judgment ; do, upon iheir closing with Christ, enjoy a tranquillity of mind, and inward peace. Indeed this peace may be interrupted and disturbed, because of darkness and temptations, and because con- science is but in part sanctified. But they are not brought back to take up such conclusions against them- selves as before their closing with Christ, but commonly they do enjoy some comfort able serenity of heart ; " have the answer of a good conscience by the resurrection of Christ/' 1 Pet. iii. 21. This comes to pass by these two things. i. When 'JSS Ihe Safety of Appearing in Chap. VI. 1 . When a soul comes to Christ, the soul is satisfied that there is peace with God io be obtained in a way of coming to Christ, that there is safety in coming to Christ. The inward call of the gospel satisfies the soul that there is salvation in Christ for all that come to him. Conscience is thereby well satisfied in the sufficiency of Christ, the freeness and the fulness of the grace of God, 1 Pet. ii. 7. " to him that believes, Christ is precious ;" the objec- tion s of the heart are removed by the convincing work f the Spirit. 2. Thejirst act of closing with Christ is not so insensi- Ify done, but that he does take some notice of it. Some after acts of faith may be more plain, and in continuance cf time the soul may lose the exact knowlege of the time uf hk first closing with Christ, and the circumstances of it; but this first closing with Christ is not so secret a thing, but that it falls under the observation of conscience., Jer. iii. 22. This is clear, For, [1.] The act itself is very observable. When the soul comes at first to close with Christ, tiiere is a mighty change wrought in it ; it is a thing quite contrary to what he has been doing ; he has been reasoning against it, making objection*, standing out against all the pleadings of God with him ; but now when he closes with Christ, he lets fall all his objections, and gives entertainment un- to Christ. Before, he despised him ; now, he prizes him : before, arguments did not sink into him, now they clo, now he makes Christ welcome. This ,is exceeding remarkable, ea>y to be observed. This carriage of the soul, Chap. VI. the Righteousness of CHRIST. 137 soul is set forth in Scripture, by opening to Christ, coming to him, marrying of him, and is so contrary to his carriage immecliatly before, that it is of easy observation. [2.] There is a great ability in conscience to take no~ tice of the more secret stirrings of the heart. Conscience has a wonderful quick eye ; conscience is a curious ob- server of men's actions, Rom. ii. 15. The conscience- takes noiice of the secret windings and turnings of the heart ; the desires, the ends, thoughts that pass through^ him, Heb. iv. 12. By the "help of the word/' con-* science makes " discovery of the secret thoughts and in- tents of the heart :" there is a wonderful sharp-sighted- ness in conscience to discover the carriage of the heart. [3.] Conscience, at this time, is more than ordinary ex* act in taking notice of the carriage of the heart. At oth- er times conscience will take notice of small things, but at this time conscience does most carefully observe what is done ; for conscience is now in a restless condilion ; it is a matter of life and death how he carries now under the call of the gospel. Conscience takes more notice of this than of hundreds of other things ; this is a thing that his salvation depends upon. Conscience has been pursuing of the sinner a great while, telling of him that if he would not close with Christ, he was undone, and must burn in hell forever. He has been neglecting to hearken to con- science, and conscience has given him no rest ; now when he comes to do the thing that conscience has been so long urging him unto, conscience will take special no- tice of that ; conscience will watch like Bcnhadad's servants, 1 Kings xx. 33 1 as a man would much ob- N n servq 15S The Safety of Appearing in Chap. VI.. serve it, when he had completed a disign that he had, been labouring in many years. 2. The people of God in a way of believing have comfortable communion with God. There is a state, of communion with God, whereby a believer has a stand- ing interest in the favour, power, wisdom of God, and the righteousness of Christ, and in all his offices; but, besides this, there is an actual communion with God,, which is sometimes more insensible, sometimes more sen- sible. Sometimes the people of God do enjoy glorious actual communion with God in this world : this is one of iho^e enjoyments that man fell from by hii sin, and no man in his natural estate does enjoy. A carnal man may, have many internal discoveries of God, and be mightily affected therewith, but they do not prope ly enjoy any communion with him ; but the people of God do, 1* Johni. 3. "Our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ :" the fulness of this is reserved in heaven, but there is an inchoalion of it here. God had communion with Abraham and others of old, in a visible appearance, and now feas communion with his saints, though in a more spiritual manner. And there are four particular ways of if, that I shall, mention. 1. By discovering his own glorious nature to them. Sometimes God breaks out of the clouds, and makes a discovery of his own glory to the soul. He lias promis- ed to the pure in heart that they shall see God. And sometimes he does cause his glory \o pass before the ioul. Sometimes God makes a special discovery of one cf Chap. VI. the Righteousness a/" CHKHT. 13D of his attributes, and sometimes of another ; of his sover- eignty, holiness, mercy, faithfulness, Jobxlii. 5, 6. " Now mine e) e seeth thee." 2 Cor. iii. 18. "We all with open face behold as in a glass the glory of the Lord/' 1 Hereby men come to know God ; other men have no- tions of God, but a saint knows him. And there are two effects of these discoveries. One, is a drawing out of the actings of grace, they put*, new life into the soul ; they are very quickening and; powerful on the heart. The other is, that they enkindle a desire to know more of God. They make the soul long after further acquaint- ance with God, " to see his power and glory, as they have seen him in the sanctuary/ 7 Psal. Ixiii. 3. 2. By revealing of Christ and gospel-grace unto the soul. God does not only at first conversion, but many times after, make a discovery c*f Christ to the soul ; the Lord shews the soul the safety of this way of salvation ; saints long for this, Phil. iii. 10. " That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection." And God ij at times gratifying them. Christ is opening this mystery of the gospel unto them. The Lord draws nigh and holds forth the sceptre of mercy, the acceptableness of his sacrifice, the freeness of his grace, the wonderfulness of his love, the certainty of salvation in a way of believ- ing. And these discoveries that the Lord makes of the gospel, do answer all the objections of the heart, that though the soul was before ir* an unbelieving frame, he has power to resist no longer. These discoveries make- Christ 140 The Safety of Appearing in Chap. VI. Christ very precious, he esteems him as one that does in- deed save from sin and wrath. These discoveries make the soul contented with Christ. He sees he needs noth- ing but this righteousness to carry before God. He has done looking out elsewhere for help, yea he lakes delight in this way of salvation, it is a way that pleases, he counts it glorious, 1 Tim. i*. 1 U 3. By promises of particular mercies. God does draw nigh to some of his people, and by his Spirit make known unto them that he will bestow some particular mercy upon them. Thus he sometimes promises assist- ance in their works, recovery from sickness, public dcliv- ance. Of old, God has sometimes by the Prophets made particular promises to wicked men, as to Ahab and Jehu. Whether he does any such thing by his Spirit, now, to those that are carnal men, is not so certain : but undoubtedly he does to some saints ; and that in answer to their prayers : when they have been begging a mercy of God, lie by some promise gives assurance to the soul, that the request shall be fulfilled. 4. By witnessing his love to the souL God does not only help the soul to gather it by consequence, but God by his Spirit doe* evidence the same to the soul. That he may quicken the heart in holiness, and that he may help the soul under temptations and sinking discourage- ments, or arm him against some special conflicts ; he gives witness to his good estate, Gen vii. 1 . This differs much from those tastes that hypocrites may have; where- in they have some sense of the sweetness that is in prom- ises : for this is by way of testimony j yea, the Spirit does make Chap. VI. the Righteousness of CHRIST. 141 make it manifest at that time that it is his testimony ; and hereby this differs from the de'usions of Satan. As the Prophets knew it to be the Lord that revealed things unto them : so saints a', the time knew it to be the Spirit of God that witnessed to them ; they do not need any other help at that time to know it to be the voice of God ; they do not need a candle to see the sun ; though, after, they may have doubts. Thus I have cleared up tfce assumption of the argument. It remains that somewhat be added to evidence the pro- position, that it must needs be safe appearing in that righteousness, upon the account of which God does be- stow the beginnings of salvation here. And I may evidence that, from these two principles. The first principle is, That righteousness which does purchase any part of the good of the covenant, does pur- chase the whole good of the covenant. By the righteous- ness of Christ, believers stand already possessed cf some part of the good of the covenant ; and that righteousness that brought them into the possession of that, will in due time bring them into the possession of what remains : for that which purchases any part of the good of the coven- ant, must needs purchase the whole. The condition up- on which all the good of the covenant depends was onc 9 so that the god of the covenant must be wholly purchas- ed or wholly forfeited. It could not be in part purchas- cd t and in part forfeited. The condition of the covenant of works, vf^ perfect righteou&iess ; if that were per- formed, all the good of the covenant wa* purchased ; if that were not performed, all the good of the covenant was forfeited ; rifl The Safety of Appearing in Chap. VI. forfeited ; an imperfect righteousness would not purchase any one good thing mentioned in the covenant. One sin was sufficient to break the whole covenant, and expose unto death ; one sin would make a course of righteous- ness for many years utterly ineffectual unto the purchase of any good, and lay the sinner open unto the curse of the law, Gal. iii. 10. Rom. vi. 23. Whatever was done towards the performance of the condition of the cove- nant, signified nothing, except the full was performed that God required. So the condition of the covenant of the Mediator was perfect obedience to the law of the Me- diator, viz. perfect obedience to the commands of the law, and perfect bearing of the curse. It is true, that the active and passive obedience of Christ have a distinct respect, one of them to the possession of good, the other to the removal of evil ; the one is meritorious, the other satisfactory; one procures the b'essings promised, the other delivers from the evils threatened. But yet Christ being made uader such a covenant, the success of one depended upon the other, and they zrejointly together the purchasing cause of our salvation. And one of them would have had no efficacy at all towards our salvation, if not accompanied with the oiher. So that this principle stands firm, that that righteousness that does not procure all ihe good of the covenant, procures none. That righteousness can purchase no good for us, that is not suf- ficient for our complete salvation. That cannot purchase the beginnings of salvation, that does not justify us. See- ing, therefore, on the account of Christ's righteousness, we have already the beginnings of salvation ; that right- eousness is sufficient for our justification and salvation. The Chap. VI. the Righteousness of CHRIST. 14$ The second principle is, Thai God in giving the be- ginnings of salvation in a way of believing in Christ's righteousness for salvation, does own that to be the way of salvation. God does in this way give such mercies as are evidences of his favor, and such as do accompany salvation. He subdues sin, quickens the heart in holi- ness, reveals his loving-kindness, &c. And herein God does plainly testify, that this is the way to sa!va,ion ; and that the righteousness of Christ was the procuring cause of salvation. If the righteous- ness of Christ were not sufficient for our salvatiwn, G*d would be angry with us for believing in Christ's righteous- ness ; we might expect frowns and judgments in this way. But God's giving the beginnings of salvation in this way, does eminently own it to be the way of life. When did God in such a way own men in a way of depending upon their own righteousness or external privileges ? They have some common mercies, but none of the beginnings of salvation. But the beginnings of salvation being be- stowed in this way, are an evident sign of divine appro- bation of it. God bore witness to the Apostle's preach- ing this doctrine " by many wonderful signs," Heb. ii. 4. And he bears witness (o those that by faith receive this doctrine, by wonderful gracious effects in them ; he gives the earnest of heavenly glorj, which evidently shews (he efficacy of this righteousness which they trust in to ac- complish their salvation, Eph. i. 13, 14. "In whom after that ye believed, ye were sealed wiih that holy Spirit of promise, which is the earnest of our inheritance, until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory/' CHAP. VII. J 44 The Safety of Appearing in Chap. VII. CHAP. VII. The ninth Argument, from the Sacraments of the New- Testament. Now added, tenth Argument , the conver- sion of sinners by the gospel, an evidence of the truth of this doctrine. Eleventh Argument, the pouring out of the Spirit in the time of the Primitive Church. Two objections against this doctrine answered. Arg IX. U is safe appearing before God in that .righteousness, the efficacy whereof unto salvation we arc taught in the Sacraments of the New-Test ament. But in the Sacraments of the New-Testament, we are taught the efficacy of Christ's righteousness unto salvation. God, in these Sacraments, is by sensible signs teaching of us this truth. So that in the Sacraments there is a di- vine testimony to this doctrine. I. We are taught the efficacy of Christ's righteous- ness unto salvation, by the ordinance of BAPTISM. As it is said of circumcision, that it was a seal of the righteous- ness of faith ; so is baptism. The washing of water, signifies our washing in the blood of Christ. As the legal washings had a respect unto the cleansing away of sin by Christ's blood, so has our baptismal washing. This or- dinance practised first by John, and afterwards appoint- ed by Christ to be a perpetual ordinance in the gospel church, is appointed on this design, to strengthen our faith in thic; doctrine. 1 . This appears, because by baptism is held forth oar fellowship Chap. VII. the Righteousness of CHRIST., 145 fellowship with Christ in his sufferings. That is signified thereby, that we have an interest in the virtue of his suf- ferings 5 that his sufferings are made over unio us,that we do participate in (he good and benefit of them, Rom. vi. 3. " So many of us as were baptised' into Jesus Christ, were baptised into his death ;" ihere was sealed up unto us the virtue and efficacy of his death : therefore, ver. 4. " we are said to be buried with him by baptism into death:" the like expression you have, CoL ii. 22. We are thereby partakers of his sufferings, as if we ourselves had suffered. And if this be held forth, then our justifi- cation and reconciliation is held forth ; for that is procur- ed by the sufferings of Christ, Rom. v. 30. " We were reconciled to God by the death of his Son.' 1 2. Baptism is appointed to be a seal to this dostritic of faith in the righteousness of Christ. It is a confirmation of this doctrine, and (he covenant of God, to give salva- tion through faith in Christ and therefore it was John the Baptist's manner, before hebapiized persons, " 10 teach them that they must believe on Christ," Acts. xix. 4, 5. And the apostles and apostolical men would not baptize any adult persons, but such as 'professed to believe on Christ, Acts viii. 36,37. And indeed when persons do subject themselves unto this ordinance of baptism,thcy do acknowledge that doctrine of salvation by Christ. And therefore, in that promise which Christ puis into the raouthj of the apostle.;, when he sends them io preach the gospel, he makes mention of baptim, Mark xvi. ir>. " He thai beliereth and is baptised, shall be saved ;" baptism i? mentioned as the evidence of faith. 3. Because O 146 We Safety of Appearing in Chap. VII. 3. Because baptism represents and shews forth the wash* ing away the guilt of our sins by the blood of Christ. This is held forth in that, 1 Pet. iii. 21. " The like fig- ure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us : not ihe putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience towards God by the resurrection of Jesus Christ." For the opening of this place, you may mind. (1.) That ilieark spoken of, ver. 20. was a type of Christ ; therefore baptism is said to be a like figure : the ark wherein Noah's family was preserved in time of the deluge, typified our salvation by the Lord Jesus : ? T nd therefore it is said, that Noah f by preparing thu ark, be- came " heir of the righteousness which is by faith/' Heb. xi. 7. (2.) Baptism does sate us, as it is a shadow of some spiritual thing. Therefore it is said, the like figure, even baptism, saves us : not but that baptism has some real influence into salvation, as indeed all ordinances have, so the types of old ; but the salvation he attributes to bap- tism, is representative. (3.) The salvation represented by baptism, is tbepwg- fag of the conscience from the guilt of sin ; called the answer of a good conscience. The washing of the body signifies the washing of the soul. (4.) The reason why he ascribes the answer of a good conscience to the resurrection of Christ, and not to his , death, is because though his death purchased it, yet his resurrection is the great evidence of the satisfactorincss of bis Chap. VII. the Righteousness of CHRIST. 14f his sufferings : therefore we are said " to be begotten un* to a lively hope thereby/' 1 Pet, i, 3. II. We are taught the efficacy of Christ's righteous- ness unto salvation by the ordinance of the LORD'S SUP- PER. The Lord's Supper was instituted by Christ im* mediately before his sufferings, wherein bread and wine in the celebration of that ordinance are made the signs of (lie body and blood of Christ ; they are not natural signs of any such thing, but have that signification put upon them by Christ. And God is leaching us in this ordi- nance, that we have salvation through the sufferings of Christ. 1 . This appears, because here the death of Christ is represented as a violent and penal deal ft. Here is a repre- sentation of Christ crucified ; here is not merely the shew- ing forth of his death, but the manner of his death, to mind us of it, that he died in a way of punishment : that he suffered that vengeance that was due unto us for our sins. Isaiah liii. 8. " For the transgression of my peo- ple was he stricken." 2. Here the death of Christ is represented as being upon our account, 1 Cor. xi. 24. " This is my body which it broken for you." Christ's death was the payment of our debt ; we were the principal debtors, Christ was the surety. Our guilt was transferred unto him : He deserv- ed not such sufferings himself, but underwent them as a public person, and therefore by his sufferings we may ,b justified and saved, 3:^ In this ordinance the death of Christ is to be shewed forth J *i> 5 & Testament. And certain it is, that all the ordinan- ces of God are built upon realities. Who can imagine that God would appoint any ordinance, that should be like the stock f that is, the graven image, " a doctrine ef vanities" Jer. x. 8. God delights in no worship but what has a geod foundation. In the sacraments God re- quires us to worship him, in a religious attendance upon him, while he is teaching us this doctrine of salvation by the righteousness and blood of Christ. In the sacra- incuts God requires us to worship him in a religious ac- knowledgment of the truth of this doctrine ; and thig tvould never be if the doctrine were not infallibly true. God needs no such worship as is not built upon a real foundation ; it is not suitable to give him any worship that is not built upen realities. God would never accept ny such honor as this from us, much less require us to give it him., if this doctrine of salvation by the blood of Christ were not true. To deny the doctrine of salvation by the blood of Christ, is to make the sacraments a mere mockery. In the sacraments God does by sacied ordinan- ces witness to the salvation of believers ; and he will ne- ver profane his own ordinance by failing in the perform- ance of that promise. These sacraments being ordinances of God, to teach us tbi* docUine ef s^lvatum by Chap. Vil. the Righteousness of Cnaisr. 151 by Christ's blood, we are thereby warranted to pray for a blessing upon them, for the furtherance of our spiritual and eternal good. But this we might not do, if the doc* trine held forth by them were not true. The sacraments being appointed by God lo testify this doctrine to us ; VVG have a warrant, in the celebration of them, and at other times, to praise and Wess the Lord for sending Christ Je- sus to work out salvation for us : But certainly if this doc- trine were noHrue, there would be no reason for us so to do, neither would the Lord accept of such praises. If there were not certain salvation to be had by Christ, no man alive can give a reason of the institution of the sa- craments, nor salve the honor of God who has appointed them to teach us this doctrine of salvation by the right- eousness of Christ. Arg. X. The conversion of sinners by the gospelis aft evidence of the truth of it, and so of this great truth. God begets men by the word of truth,- Jam. i. 18. The apostle Paul saith to the Corinthians, ' ' 1 have be- gotten you through the gospel," 1 Cor. iv. 15. And this strongly proves the truih of the gospel. And if the gospel be the instrument of men's conversion, it is safe to appear in the righteousness of Christ. 1 . Because, V/hen men are converted, they know the gospel to be true. Unconverted men have many objec- tions against the safely of believing in Christ. But when they are converted, they know it to be safe to trust in Christ. They are assured of this truth. There be divers degrees of assurance. We read of assurance of assurance of faith, all she riches of the full f2 The Safety of Appearing in Chap, VlL full assurance of understanding. . When men are con- verted, they "hear the vcice of Christ/' John v. 25. They receive the word, " as the word of God/' 1 The 8 ?, ii. 13. They know the gospe 1 to be " a faithful saying," 1 Tim. i. 13. They know Christ to be the." Son of God/' John vi. 69. They know that Christ came out from God, and do believe that God sent him, John xvii. 9. And if they know the gospel to be true, then it is certainly true. That which is known is ^certain. Men may conjectuie a thing to be true, that is not true. They may be confident a thing is true which is not r But if they knowii io be true, it is true. There is an agree- ment between their knowledge and the thing known. Knowledge is the apprehending and judging of things as they are. When they know a thing, tiiey must assent unto it. He that knows a thing to be true, must by ne- . cessity of nature assent unto it. It is impossible they should know it io be false, no arguments will convince that it is false.- 2. When sinners arc converted, / is God who reteals the truth of the gospel unto them. Besides the outward re- velation, there is an inward revelation by the spirit. There is need of it, because sinners are spiritually blind, and further blinded by carnal reason. Their pride and their fears and their enmity do suggest arguments tin(o them against the gospel ; but when they are converted, God shews the truth of it unto them. Mat. xvi. 17. " Flesh and blood hath not revealed this unto thee, but sny Father that is in heaven/' So Eph. i. 17. 18. They have an " unction from the spirit," 1 John ii. 20. And that which is revealed unto them by the Spirit, must Chap. VII. the Righteousness of CHRIST. 153 must needs be true, God is a God of truth: every word of God is pure, Prov. xxx. 5. God teaches by enlightening the mind. 3. Converted persons knowledge of the gospel a supernatural change in them. Acts xxvi. 18. "To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness unto light, and from the power of Satan unto God." Before, they could not trust in Christ,, now they can. Before, they could not love God, now they can. And certainly that must be truth that works such a change. Conjec- tures and common convictions of the truth may work a moral change. Yea, the believing of a falsehood may make a moral change. The believing of the doctrine of purgatory may make a Papist reform. But it is only the knowledge of the truth that can make a man godly. The knowledge of the gospel makes men to aim at the glory of Ged, and to hate every thing in the world in comparison of God and Christ ; to glory in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh, Col. iii. 10. " The new man is renewed in knowledge after the image o him that created him." Arg. XI. Thz pouring out of the spirit in the time of the primitive church , was for the confirmation of this doc- trine of our salvation by Christ. The Spirit was poured out abundantly upon the apostles and others, on the day of Pentecost, Acts ii. 4. So the disciples at Samaria, at the prayer of Peter and John, " received the Holy Ghost/' Acts viii. 17. So Paul when Ananias laid hands on him, Acts ix. 17. So Cornelius and his com- pany, Acts x. 44. So the Disciples at Ephesus, Acts xix C. God gave miraculous gifts unto believers ; ther prophesied* I54f The Safety of Appearing in Chap. VII, prophesied, they spake rrany languages, they did won- drous works, &c. These things did evidence the truth of the gospel, men's salvation by Christ. This is plain, 1. Because it was foretold by Christ thai it should bs so, as the fruit of his ascension, John vii. 38. 39* Christ says, " He that believeth on me, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water ; but this he spake of the spirit, which they that believe on him should receive, for the Holy Ghost was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified. " The meaning of this Scripture is, not that all believers to the end of the world should receive the graces of the Spirit, (though this is true) but that after the ascension of Christ, the primitive Christians should receive extraordinary gifts of the spirit, which was a- bundantly fulfilled in those days, and continued for a. onsiderable time. 2. This effusion of the Spirit was vpon this design, t* be a divine testimony to this truth of our salration by Christ. The Jews and Gentiles were mightily prejudiced against the gospel. The Jews, because CHRIST did not come in such outward glory as they expected, made a mean appearance, and was crucified. The Gentiles were prejudiced by the esteem they had of their own re- ligion, because of the antiquity of it, being handed down unto them by their fathers for many generations ; and . they had traditions which confirmed them. One we read of, Acts xix. 35. As of (he image that they thought fell from Jupiter. They were misled aho by the accom- - flishraent of some prophecies of their oracles; and th. Chap. VJI. the Righteousness of CHRIST. 155 judgments that befel some who abused their temples. But God gave these gifts of the Spirit, on purpose to be a testimony to the truth of the gospel. Heb. ii. 4. " God bearing them witness, both with signs and won- ders and divers miracles, and gifts of the Holy Ghost/* These extraordinary gifts had that effect to convince multitudes of this truth. Men that were enemies to the apostles, were confounded by these wonderful gifts. Acts iv. 14. " Seeing (he man that was healed standings- raong them, they could say nothing against it." Yea corns that had been bitter enemies were con verted. Acts vi. 7. " A great company of the priests were obedient unto the faith." Multitudes of the people were wrought on by the sight of these miraculous works. Acts viii. 6. " The people with one accord gave heed unto those things which Philip spake, hearing and seeing the mira- cles which he did." There be two things principally that may be objected, against this doctrine. Object. 1. That faith is said to be imputed for right- eousness, Rom. iv. 3, 21, 22. Gen. xv. 5, 6. "To which it may be added, that faith under the gospel, comes in the room of works, that were required under the law. Hence faith and works are so often opposed by the apostle in the matter of justification," Rom. iii. 28. GaJ. ii. 14. Ans. 1. That faith that is imputed to us for righteous- ness, is believing in Jesus Christ. It is not any act of faith, nor any other act of justifying faith that is impute* for 156 The Safety of Appearing iff hap. VII, for righteousness, but only believing in Christ. This is evident, because that is the description of justifying faith in other places of the Scripture : " He that believ- elh in him shall have everlasting life," John iii. 16. This faith is described elsewhere, " But for us also, to whom it shall be imputed, if we believe on him that raise J up Jesus our Lord from the dead." Here this faith is described, (1.) It is faith on God: a relying^or depending up- n him. (2.) The consideration under which this is acted on God, that is, as having raised up Jesus our Lord from Che dead ; that is, as having wrought out salvation for us by Jesus Christ. It may be objected against this inter- pretation, that this faith that was imputed for righteous- ness to Abraham, is called a believing God, Rom. iv. 3. And the promise that he believed, was a promise of a numerous posterity, Gen. xv. 1, 5, 6. Ans. This faith of his did include in it a believing of the promised seed, and a believing on him. God had before promised, " that in him all the families of the earth should be blessed," Gen. xii. 3. And now he promises him a posterity like the stars in number ; and Abraham entertains this promise as it included in it the promised seed, and, as Christ says, rejoiced to see his day, <( and saw it, and was glad," John viii. b6. This was reckoned unto him for righteousness. This is plain, from Gal. iii. 6, 7, 8. 2. Ftith in Jesus Christ does interest us in the right- COUSMSS Chap. VII. the Righteousness of CHRIST. 157 v tousness of Jesus Christ. Whoever has this faith, has the righteousness of Christ. God might have made over this righteousness of Christ to us without any condi- tion if he pleased,or upon any other ; but faith was suit- able, and God has appointed this to be the way of our partaking in the righteousness of Christ ; and hcrt'iy men come to have an interest in that. Men come to have an interest in Christ's righteousness, called gold and white raiment by buying that of him, Jhat is, by be- lieving on him, Rev. iii. 18. "The righteousness of God is through faith in Christ." Phil. iii. 9. So that all that have this faith, have the righteousness of Christ, 3. It is very probable that the apostle intends no more, when he says faith is imputed for righteousness, than ihi*, that believers are reckoned righteous, through the right- ousncss cf Christ. The phrase seems to import some-' what else, than if he had said, that their faith was their righteousness : to be reckoned for righteousness, seems to note to be accepted instead of personal righteousness : and so faith is . accepted through the righteousness of Christ. This is further confirmed from that phrase, Heb. xi. 7. " He became heir of the righteousness which i* by faith," that is, of the righteousness of Christ, which is applied unto us by faith : and there is no necessity of understanding any thing more by that phrase, " the right- eousness of faith," Rom. iv. 11, 13. but the righteous- ness which we have an interest in by faith. 4. Yet it may be granted, without danger, that faith is our evangelical righteousness, but not our legal riglfr P eousntss. 158 .The Safely of Appearing in Chap. VII. cousness. God has made two covenants with men, the one is the covenant of works, the other the covenant of grace t in the covenant of works perfect holiness is the condition, that is, the righteousness that must be fulfilled in order unto life : in the covenant of grace- believinv is the condition, and this may be called gospel righteous- ness. Because, according to the terms or ihe gospel, all believers are declared righteous in the sight of God ; and the promise of salvation is made unto believing. But believing is not our .legal righteousness, it does not an- swer the demands of the law ; there is a necessity of the righteousness of Christ, which is legal righteousness, 1 Cor. i. 3$. And indeed faith could not have been the condition of salvation, had it not interested us in the righteousness of the lawl The covenant of works and covenant of grace, also must be fulfilled , or we cannot be saved. Christ fulfilled the covenant of works for us, and gives us faith in his righteousness, whereby we ful- ill the covenant of grace. 5. Whereas it is added to strengthen the objection, that faith under the gospel comes in the room of works under the law ; and therefore, as works under the law were to be the matter of justification, so is faith under the gospel. I answer, Faith does not, under the gospel, properly come in the room of works, for works are necessary un- der the gospel unto justification. Works are the purchas- ing cause of life ; only God has found out another way of performing those vrorks than the law speaks of, name- ly, by a surety ; but yet perfect obedience is as necessa- ry as at first, for our justification. The gospel does not justify u* in any way of contradiction to the law. Works DOW Chap. VII. the Righteousness of CHRIST. 15 now are the legcd condition of justification, but faith is the evangelical condition of justification ; and evgry be- liever does fulfil both those conditions, one in hh'surety, the other in his own person. Faiih is the condition of the covenant of grace, and faith interests us in the right- eousness of Christ, whereby the covenant of works is al- so fulfilled. And when the apostle does oppose faith, and the works of the law he does not oppose faith to the works of the law as performed ly Christ ; for they work together for our justification. But he opposes it to our "works, that our works in obedience to the law can never justify us. Works under the law were the purchasing cause of justification, and so they are still. Works under the law were the condition of justification, and they only ; but now they are the legal condition, faith is the evangelical condition. Faith is all the con- dition required to be performed by us in out own per- sons. Object. 2. God has made many promises of forgiveness of sins unto obedience, and so also of salvation, where- by it seems'that it is not safe relying upon Christ's right-' cousness, but upon our own. There be many promises of forgiveness. Isaiah i. 16, IT, 18. " Wash you make you clean, put away the evil of your doings," &c. " Come and let us reason together, saiih the Lord, tho' your sins be as white as snow, though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool." Mat. vi. 14-. "For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you." 1 John iii. 9. " If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins." Isaiah Iv, 7. " Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts, and let him return unto ]GO The Safety of Appearing in Chap. VII. unto the Lord, and he will have mercy upon him, and io our God, for he will abundantly pardon." So there Are many promises of salvation made unto obedience. Rom. viii. 3 3. " If ye by the Spirit do mortify the deeds t>f the flesh, ye shall live.*' Mat. T. 8. " Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God." And to like purpose eternal life is spoken of as the reward of obedi- ence. Heb. xi. 1, 26. ' " He had respect to the re- compence of reward." Ccl. iii. 24. " Knowing that of the Lord ye shall recieve the reward oi the inherit- ance, forje serve the Lord Christ." Jlns. To (he first part of the objection from promises ' jrgiveness made to obedience : I answer, \. That forgiveness is not always taken in Scripture for the act of justification, whereby God docs take off the sentence of eternal condemnation. But many times it h taken for God's overlooking sin, so as not to bring that temporal calamity that he might have done. So when Gcd removes a temporal judgment, he is said to forgive their sins, Mic. vii. 18. So when he forbears to de- stroy a people that have deserved ft, and only brings some less judgments on them, he is said to forgive them, xci::. 8. " Thou wast a God that forgavest them, though lhf.ui tcokest vengeance on their inventions." "Psal. Ixxviii. 38. " He forgave their iniquities, and destroyed them not." Numb. xiv. 20, 21, 22, 23.. And the Lord saiJ, I have pardoned according to thy word, &c. but they shall not see the land that I sware nto their fathers." And sometime* he bsftows thk pardon upon them whom he does not deliver from the sentence of eondem nation ; and sometimes he denies this Chap. VII. tfic Righteousness of CHRIST. I6t this unto them whom he does deliver from a sentence of condemnation. Moses's sin shall not be so forgiven, but that he must die in the wilderness, for hix trespass at the waters of Meribak. Eli shall not be so forgiven, but that sore judgment shall come upon his family. The preventing or removal of temporal calamities, whether inward or outward, is called forgivenets. And this is the very thing intended by forgiveness. Sometimes when God makes promises of forgiveness unto obedience and reformation ; the meaning is, that God will prosper them and bless them, and not pursue them with judgments and calamities. . This is evident, because sometimes God promises, forgiveness to a nation in a way of obedience ; it is promised as a national blessing. So in that, Isaiali i. 16, 17, 18. Therefore it does not intend deliverance from eternal condemnation. For God does not prom- ise that as a public blessing depending upon public refor- mation. 2. Sometimes when God promises forgiveness unto obedience, the meaning is, that if the soul do return uni<* God by * a true work of conversion, he shall be justified. When men are converted, they are brought into a state of acceptance with God: God is reconciled unto them. So that place is to be understood, Isaiah Iv. 7. "Let him return unto the Lord, and he will have mercy upon him." Ads iii. 19. "Repent therefore and be con- verted, that your sins may be blotted eut." And the reason why God promises forgiveness upon conversion i?, because failh, which is the condition of the covenant, is included in conversion. Converted persons have faith in Christ Jesus, P p 3. Sometimes m% ' The Sujffty of Appearing iti Chap. VM. 3. Somelimes when forgiveness is promised unto par- ticular ads of obedience, the meaning is, that those acts vf obedience are sign that a man is in a justified condi- dition. So that is to be understood, Mat. vi. 14. *' For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will forgive you." And that, 1 John i. 9. " If we confess oar sins, he is faithful and just to forgive ouc sins." These thing? are not the condition of forgiveness, much less the meritorious cause of forgiveness ; but they are a sign that a man is such a one, to whom the promise of forgiveness does belong. So any one upright act of obedience, is a sign that a man's sins are forgiven, and *hall be forgiven in the day of Judgment ; because they are things that do accompany faith in Christ, though they Lave no influence uato justification. 2. To the second part of the objection, that promises .of salvation art* made to obedience : I answer, 1 . That the promises of eternal life are not made unto vbediencc, as^that which docs merit eternal life. And there- fore the best of God's servants do acknowledge themselves unworthy of any good, Gen. xxxii. 10. They are some- times called vxrtihy. They shall walk with me in white, for they are worthy. Luke xxi. 36. " Watch ye there- fore, and pray always, that ye may be counted wort Kg to escape all theae things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man." But the word axios ten- tlered worthy, ofuen signifies us more than comwricncg and suitableness. Eph. iv. 1 " Walk worthy of th* vocation wherewith ye are called." But the obedience cf the people of God cannot merit eterpal life. There ?/" rf jr^ri.in, rci.'i^r of which can belong to Chap. VIL the Righteousness of CHRIST., 16$ the obedience of the saints : One is, when men do mer- it a reward from absolute justice, from the mere dignity of the wOik. In this sense, one man can merit from an- other, but no man from God ; for whatever man does for Ged, is but a due debt : And, because no man can do any good but by the grace of God, the work itself is the gift of God. There is another way of meriting, and that is according to the tenor of Uie law. When man keeps the law, he does deserve a recompence ac- cording to the tenor of it. Thus Jesus Christ has mer-' Hed life for us, Eph. i. 1 k He has purchased the heav- enly possesion. So the angels merited blessedness for themselves. But the obedience of the saints is not mer- itorious in this sense, because it fails of legal exactness : there be many sins mixed with their obedience, and their best obedience is very imperfect and polluted; and indexed, it is upon the account of Christ, that the obedience of the saints is accepted. 1 Pet. ii. 5. " We offer sacrifices acceptable to God by Jesus Christ." 2. The promises of eternal life are not made to obedi- ence as the proper condition of it. Because God is abso- lutely engaged to bestow eternal life upon believers : ev- ery believer has already performed the condition of th covenant ; and is under an absolute promise of life. John i. 2. " This is tke promise that he hath promised us, even eternal life :" and obedience is promised to them, therefore cannot be properly a condition. 3. The promises of eternal life are made unto obedi- ence as the sign of it. Obedience, is an evidence thai * jnan is n heir of eternal life ; good works do declare that T64* Ike Safety of Appearing in Chap. .VII. that a man is one (hat shall be saved : obedience is an evidence of the love of God ; it is from love that a man is enabled to live a life of obedience ; and they are an evi- dence that a man is a believer : where there is obedience there is faith also : men are sanctified by ifaith in Christ, Acts xxvi. 18, . 4. The promises of eternal life are made to obedience, as the way wherein God has appointed to lead wen to it, God has purposed to lead men in a way of holiness unto happiness, and wherever he begins to deliver men from sin here, to deliver them perfectly hereafter. This is the order wherein God has appointed to bestow salvation, first to sanctify and then to glorify : God has appointed to prepare all those for glory here, that he does intend to bestow it upon hereafter ; he prepares them here for that holy place, for that holy company, for that holy work that is there, though they shall be more fully prepared at ihe time of their dissolution : this is the method that God has designed to save men in, that they shall have " their fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life, Rom. vi. 27. 3. To the third part of the objection, that glory iscall- ied ihe reward of obedience ; I answer, 1 . That when heaven is called a recompence, the word h not taken for that which is deserved. There is a plain difference in the way wherein God inflicts death and be- stows life. Rom. vi. 23. " The wages of -sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jems oui Lord. 2. Heaven Chap. VII. the 'Righteousness or CHRIST. 165 2. Heaven is not properly bestowed upon the saint* upon the account of their obedience as the condition ef it. It is upon the account of the obedience of Christ, as tne meritorious cause, and upon the account of their faith as the condition of it : their obedience is indeed the way wherein they do receive it, and so it is a recompenceof it. They have heaven in a way of obedience, and heaven will make an abundant recompence for all their labor ami travail : the people of God take pain?, undergo hard- ships, undergo many temptations and conflicts in a way of obedience ; but heaven will make amends for all, and abundantly recompence all their trouble in the way of serving God ; at the end of their journey they shuli re- ceive heaven, and that will make amends for all their trouble. 3. Saints, when they go to heaven, shall receive a re- compence on the account of their good works. Their good works are the condition of an additional glory . The es- sential glory of heaven is given on the account of Christ's purchase, and thai God has promised to bestow in away of obedience : but besides those promises, there are oil- ers wherein God has engaged further degrees of glory upon condition of obedience : there will be a gracious reward by the covenant of grace given to every act of Q- bedience pej formed by the saints, Mat. s. ult. God will take an account of all the good works of his saints, and recompence every one : so that the more any saint does for God, the more glory shall be bestowed upon him, Phil. iv. 17. And hence it is, as one saint does more for God than another, so the glory of one shall exceed the glory of another. God will not overlook any thing that 166 The Safety of Appearing in Chap. VI II that is done by his people. Though the obedience of the saints be imperfect, vet it is capable of being rewar- ded by the covenant of grace ; it is not properly the condition of enjoying heaven, but it is the condition of enjoying further degrees of glory in heaven. CHAP. VIII. US E I. Reproof to those that seek Salvation by their own Righteousness. USE I. THE improvement we shall make of this truth, is, first, to REPROVE those that arc seeking acceptance with God, and salvation by their own righteousness ; that, neglect ing the righteousness of Christ, are seeking the favor of God by their own works. This was the very spirit of the Jewish nation in those declining times, wherein Christ Jesus was upon the earth ; and this is one great part of the apostasy of the Antichristianr church, that they teach justification by works. But be- sides these, it is the ordinary practice of such whose con- sciences are awakened and terrified, first to seek their peace, and work out their reconciliation by their own righteousness. When once the sinner is stung with the guilt of sin, and under the awful apprehensions of God's wrath, the first way that presents itself for his relief, is the reformation of his sins, and diligently applying himself unto the duties of religion. And they are travelling this way after peace, sometimes many years, with a neglect of Christ. Men ought indeed to seek their peace with reformation, but not ly their reformations. But men are Chap. VIII. the Righteousness of CHRIST. 167 are mightily wedded to this way of seeking salvation bv their own duties. This is one of those things ihat irake the work of conversion so exceeding difficult. It is a dif- ficult thing to bring men to be earnestly seeking salva- tion ; and when they are brought unto that, it is very difficult to bring them to seek it in the right way. " They sought it not by faith but as it were by the works of the law," Rom. ix. 32. But men have no ground at all for this. It is safe appearing before God in the rightous,- ness of Christ ; but it is nowise safe for men to trust in their own righteousness. When men make their own righteousness the ground of their confidence, they do but flatter and please themselves in a vain delusion ; their own works can never procure their acceptance with God. In prosecuting this use, let us consider, 1 . Wh* they are that seek salvation by their own right- eo its ness. 2. What righteousness they do attain unto. 3 . What are their temptations te seek their salvation in this way. 4. What confidence they have in their own righteous- 5. How they do to hide it from themselves, that tncy trust in their own righteousness. 6. Ihe vanity of men's trusting to their own righteous* ness. The JS8 The Safely of Appearing in Chap. VIII. The first thing to be considered is, Who they arc that seek salvation by their own righteous- ncs. But before I give you Iheir characters, it will be need- ful to premise two things. 1 . They that seek salvation by their own righteous- ness, do not expect salvation from the covenant of works, as it requires perfect obedience in, order unto life. They dare not adventure their souls on the strictness of the law ; though they had need to do so, if they seek life by their own works. But they do not thus ; they look uf5on their righteousness as that which will allay the an- ger of God ; and be an inducement unto God to save them 5 that which will win the good- will of God, and draw the heart of God to them : yea, they look upon their righteousness, as that which will bring God in their debt; that God is beholden to them for their service. Yet they do not lay claim to blessedness by the strictness of the law, for they know, and confess themselves to be sinners, they pray for forgiveness ; which things are in* consistent with justification by their own works. The Jews did not stand upon a strict covenant of works, Rom. ix. 31, 32. '* They sought it as it were by the works of the law." But these men do make such a mixture of the covenant of works with the covenant of grace, wherein the covenant of works is predominant. They make some profession of the gospel, and yet adhere to a cov- enant of works. Therefore the apostle tells them, " that if they be circumcised, Christ shall profit ihem nothing/' Gal. v. 2, They made account to have some benefit by Christ ; Chap. VIII. the Rig?tfeouincss of CHRIST. 159 Christ ; so they made account to have some benefit by grace. Therefore the apostle tells them, " that whoever of them are justified by the law, are fallen from grace." They did not pretend to the strictness of the law, but took in gospel principles inio their way of justifrcatior, and yet were legal all the while. This makes the apos- tle dispute in that manner against (hem, Rom. xi. 6. * f If it be by grace, it is no more of works, otherwise grace is no more grace ; but if it be of works, then it is no more grace, otherwise work is no more woik." They mingled grace and works together, they made their own ti+orks the foundation of their hope*, and yet took in the plea of God's grace and CHRIST *s righteousness. T he y thought their own works did contribute something, & the grace of God through Christ would make up their defects, 2. 7 he saints qf God have a great deal of a sclf-rigl ( eous spirit remaining in tfa?n, and men must not conclude because they find such workings in their~1iearts t thai they arc self -righteous. No doubt many of the Galaiians tha ? were tainted with the doctrine of Legalists were real; converted, Gal. iv. 14. There was somewhat of thL- spirit in Peter, Mat. xix. 27. " We have forsaken all ; what shall we have therefore r" As the people of Got', are not completely delivered from other corruptions, so not from carnal confidence. There h such a spirit work ing, and sometimes prevailing in then. But there is al- so in the saints an evangelical spirit, Fhil. in. 3. " We rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh." They allow not ihem?d"es (o have any confi- dence in the flesh, The-.c Q 170 The Safety of Appearing in Chap. VIII. These things premised, take these characters of those men that seek salvation by their own righteousness. I . Such men as magnify themselves by their duties and 'frames. They count highly of themselves, because of what they do. Pride .is (he very spirit of self- righteousness. The self-righteous man sets a great price upon what he does : he Joves to be think- ing upon what he lias done ; how his heart melted in such a duty, how his affections were drawn out and enlarged in such a prayer, what he lias done and suffered in the cause of God. He .loves to chew over duties again, as things that do commend him to God : while another man is magnifying free grace, and the righteousness of Christ, the self-righteous man is idolizing his own ser- vices, falls in love wiih his own beauty ; is taken with his own carriage, and thinks that God and man should be taken with him. He thinks his works do ingratiate him with God, and draw the heart of God towards him. So the Pharisee, Luke xviii. 12. " I fast twice in the week, and give tithes of all that I possess." He minds God of it, what a choice man he was, and thinks that God has not many such servants as himself. He counts liis own righteousness his riches. Rev. Hi. 17. He is rich in praters, rich in mournings, rich in duties of re- ligion, and of charity. He is noi brought (obc poor in spirit ; He does not see himself without money and with- out price, but has a considerable estate of his own t@ live upon. He thinks, that by his duties he gains something towards the paying for .salvation, Phil. iii. 7. He plac- es his confidence in those things, and glories in them .: As a rich man boasts of his wealth, so he boasts of his righteousness, Chap, VIIL the Rightwusxcs* of CIIUIST, 17! righteousness, and despises other men : As the Phari- see, Luke xviii. 11. " I am not as other men, or like this Publican/' Whereas the spirit of a saint is to glory in the righteousness and sufferings of Christ, Gal. vi. 14. " God forbid that. I should glory save in the cross of Jesus Christ." 2. Such men make their duties their refuge in limes of danger. Such men are oftentimes scared from a remem- brance of their former courses, and sen^e of present fail- ings : Sometimes when they hear the threatenings of the wo;d; sometimes when it is a time of mortality : so, when they are ill, and under apprehension that their dy- ing lime is come, and when in this fright, they betake themselves to their own righteousness as their strong hold. A godly man makes his uprightness an argument to hope. The self-righteous man makes his duties the foundation of his faith ; in a stormy time he gets under them for shelter, instead of getting under the shadow of Christ; he flies to his own duties, they a:e his castle, wherein he fortifies himself against fear, they are his har- bour, where he casts anchor j from thence he takes his great encouragement. This was Paul's sheet- anchor before his conversion, that he was, touching the righteousness of the laiv, blame- less, Phil. iii. 6. The self-righteous man comforts up his heart with ihis, that surely God will have some re- spect unto his pains, his affections, his charity, his strict walking : this is his fort that he retires unto in time of danger. He has not been so bad as other men, and he hopes God will not deal in rigour with him. He thinks thai 172 The Svfity of Appearing in Chap. VIII. 'o:U Us uuiles do lay some engagements upon the love one! compassion of God ; ho hopes his prayers and lears have some constraining efficacy upon the compassionate heart of Go;!. Sometimes, he thinks that his duties lay some bonds ap< n ihe justice of God, he thinks it equal (hat he should be spared, and thai it would be extreme rigour, for God to cast him oiFat lasr, when he has cbne so much for him. Sometimes he thinks l,i> duties have laid a lie upon the fkst no knowledge ?" Secondly, Chap. VIII. the Righteousnc&s of CHRIST. IV 5 Secondly, Let us consider what righteousness such men may attain unto, that seek salvation by their own right- eousness. And there is no doubt but such men may go a great way in religion; Some attain one measure, and others another. But they may go far, though they fall' greatly short of what the least saints do attain ; yet they we capable of attaining a great deal : they may attain so much a$ to exceed what many saints do attain as to the external part of religion ; they may make a glorious shew, so as to gain the approbation and applause of the people of God. f Take it under these three heads, I . They may attain to as much as any saint) as to (he external part of religion. All the external acts of holU ness may be done by him that has no principle of holiness, The external acts of grace may be so imitated, that na man can discern the difference. Though ordinarily the conversation of the saints be better than the conversation of other men, yet others may attend the external part of godliness as much as any saint ; for it is not grace that gives men power to do that which is externally good: Nature gives men the power to do the action, and grace gives men power to do it in a right manner, and for a right end. And though corruption in natural men, be strong to hinder them from the external acts of religion, yet that may be overruled. Natural men have a power to do (he external duty, and they may have a will too, through some overruling consideration. Paul, though a Pharisee, may havo a blameless conversation. Though Uriah was not a faithful priest, yet he was a faithful utft- 176 I he Safety of Appearing in Chap. VHI. ness t Isaiah viii. 4-. Many a natural man is of chaste conversation, temperate in the use of meat and dnnk,ju$t in his dealings wiih men, charitable to the poor, strict in observing of the sabbath ; he may be greatly instrument- al \i\promoting the public good : abound in fasting and prayer ; fall in with the Letter party ; take much pains for the conversion of others. Yea, the apostle intimates, that " a man may give all his goods to feed, the poor,, and his body to be burned and not have charity/' 1 Cor. xiii. 3. An opinion of merit is sufficient to make many men give all they have to the poor. -And men may suf- fer death in the cause of God, and have no grace : Ei- ther frem sturdiness of spirit ; some are men of high spirits,, and count it a disgrace to them- to yield; they scorn that others should get the day of them ; they will not disparage themselves, nor humor their enemies so as to yield to them : Or, from confidence of their salva- tion ; lotting upon if, that if they die in such a cause, they shall surely go to heaven. 2. They may attain unto great religious frames. Many carnal men have had very strong pangs of affection ; their hearts may overflow in a religious way. Many that have no principle of grace, have had great impressions on their hearts from the word of God : The hearts of natur- al men have been considerably engaged in the ways of God. The Galatians t many of whom Paul was afraid of, were formerly greatly affected with the gospel, Gal. iv. 13. He that was not prepared to go through suf- ferings, tells Christ in a pang, " He will follow him whithersoever he goes," Luke ix. 57, 53. Saul has a great pang, because " God had wrought salvation in Israel/' Chap. VIII, the Righteousness of CHRIST. 177 Israel/' i Sam. xi. 13. " They sang God's praise that soon fofgat his works," Psal. cvi. 12, 13. Men may re- ceive the word with joy, yet not hold out in a day of per- secution, Mat. xiii. 21. Men may bewail their miscar- riages, though their hearts be not mended, I Sam. xxvi. 21. Men may delight in religion, that are sincere in it, Job. xxvii. 9, 10. Men may abominate some sins, though none be mortified, 1 Chron. xxi. 6. " The king's word was abominable unto Joab." Men may be full of tealf that are strangers unto Christ, Phil. iii. 6. These pangs and religious frames are nothing else but the vari- ous workings of an enlightened conscience and self-love. Some men arc enlightened to see their danger in a way of sin, and the hopes of blessedness in a way of returning to God. God puts a light into the mind, whereby men come to see their present danger ; and hell, and eternity, and wrath, seem real things unto them : and after a white God gives many of them some special encouragements of the possibility of salvation. Natural men are some- times under a common conviction of the glory of God. A natural man is capable of some discoveries that way ; and these convictions work upon that natural principle of self-love. And hence arise that fear, joy, hope, thankfulness, that many natural men rlo experience. All those religious frames and dispositions that are in natural men, are nothing else but the various shapings of self- love. The same principle of self-love which made them before to follow the world and their pleasures, does, after conviction, make them seek after holiness, Christ and salvation. 3. They may continue in the practice of religion all, their 178 The Safety of Appearing i* Chap. V 111. their days. Though many times they do not, but fall away sometimes'to heresy, sometimes to prof fineness , and ordinarily, if they live long, they grow sapless and un- savoury, so as to have little relish of religion upon their hearts : and generally those tastes which they have had of the good word of God, are lost after a while, so as t have no enlivening impression on the heart ; these affec- tions which some time were in them, wither away. Yet without question, many of them do continue in the prac- tice of religion as long as they live. If they may contin- ue in the practice of religion one year, why not seven ? why not twenty ? why not as long as they Irve ? Love of credit, a compliance with the custom of the place where they live, the workings of natural conscience, may have such an influence upon them, as to make them continue in the practice of religion : Christ indeed says of some, " that they believe for a time, and in time of temptation fall away," Luke viii. 13. ; but his meaning i, that it is commonly so : but experience shews, that a tempora- ry faith may live under persecution. All febe faith in- deed may be called temporary, because it is subject to perish in time : it is not built upon such a foundation as to make it stand against all temptations. True faith is built upon firm foundations, the power, mercy, and faith- fulness of God, and the perfect righteousness of Jesus Christ ; and in these things there is a bottom for faith in the dismallest times that may come ; here is that which will answer all temptations, 2 Thes. ii. 16. But a false faith is built upon failing foundations, the goodness of his frames, mistakes about the love of God ; and hence his faith may fail ; though I know no condition that a false heart can be brought into, except one, wherein he may Chap. VIII. the Righteousness of CHRIST. 179 may not continue to believe : be may continue to believe under great afflictions from the hand of God, under great persecutions from men, in a dv ing day : Indeed, if God do discover. to him what a heart he has, and shew liim the plague of that, his false faith will die away ; for the foundation of it, sc. an opinion of his own goodness, is taken away ; but yet, even then, he may continue in the practice of religion. Thirdly, Let us consider what are // TEMPTATIONS iliat make men seek salvation by their own righteouness. And certainly they must be great temptations ihathaVe so strong an efficacy upon the hearts of men. -Godly men have much to do to restrain and subdue this spirit in themselves ; and generally, convinced sinners are might- ily carried away with this spirit. Though God does so plainly witness against it in his word; yet multitudes of men are seeking life in this way ; so that we may con- clude, there is some strong current that men are carried wiih ; some great entanglements that men are thus ea- snared with : though many are not aware of it, yet there are mighty temptations to lead them into this mistake. And we may reduce them to these heads: 1. The pride of man's heart. Fallen man is a proud creature ; though he has so much to bring down his spir- it, yet he is extremely addicted to magnify himself. Job xi. 12. " Vain man would be wise, though man l^e born like a wild ass's colt :" self-love which is the rery root of original sin, runs principally in this channel. Men are miserably devoted to this way of sinning : though men have extremely debased themselves, and degraded themselves 180 The Safety of Appearing in.. Ghap. VIII themselves from that excellency which God bestowed, on them, yet they are exceeding prone to swell wrth pride. Pride is thought to be the first sin of the Devil; and we are sure there was a great deal of pride in the first sin of man : that temptation of being like God, know- ing good and evil, had a principal influence into the apos- tasy of our first parents ; and this spirit runs through the life of man, from his childhood to old age; therefore cal:cd the pride of life, 1 John ii. 16. How many meth- ods have men fourd out to gratify their pride ; what cost are men at, what pains do they take, what hazards do they run, that they may satisfy this lust of pride r Men are proud of every thing : all natural excellencies, acquired endowments, external enjoyments, are fuel to pride. Men arc proud of their duties and graces, yea proud of their sins too ; proud of the mercies that God bestows on them, and proud of the af- flictions that they have, or have had. Pride is deeply rooted in the heart of man ; and hence it is, that he is so addicted to seek salvation by his own righteousness ; the spirit of A self-righteous man, is to exalt himelf. Setting up a man's own righteousness is directl) contrary to the work of humiliation, and the grace of humility. A Pharisaical spirit is a proud spirit, Luke xviii. 14. Pride H the reason of men's setting up their own right- eousness ; and it has an influence these two icays : (1.) Pride makes men desirous to live upon themselves, and to be beholden to the grace oj God no more than needs must. Proud man had rather be the author of his own happiness, than to have it in a way of free gift. Most men had rather earn their living with their fingers end, than live upon (he charity ofother men : so in this case, men Chap. YJIL tht Righeousness of CHRIST. 181 men had rather compound with God for heaven upou the account of their own services, than be beholden to /ree grace. It would please the haughty heart of mn exceedingly, to have the honour of saving himself ; tliat he might have that to boast of, that he had heaven as the fruit of his own labours : " Boasting is excluded by the law of faith/' Rom. iii, 27. and therefore the heart does not like that way. Men's spirits will very hardly come down to take life as a gift from a provoked God. Men can hardly stoop to it, to come to the door of -mercy ; if they can make any other shift, they will not do it. It is exceeding cross to flesh & blood, to have nothing of his own to glory in; and to yield himself to be a poor, vile and unworthy creature, to be altogether help- less in himself. Man was once set out with a good stock, &: might have earned heaven ; &: it is very hard, to him (o yield himself a prodigal ; he stomachs it to come for aim 5 ; it would be hard,i o one especially that has been rich so to do. This we may see in the prodigal, Luke xv. 14, 15. "He be- gan to be in want, and went and joined himself to a citizen of that country/' Nothing but extremity would bring down his spirit, so as to make him return to his father ; lie had rather work hard, than come a begging to his -father. (2.) Pride makes men conceited of their own righteous- ness. Proud men are wont to have an high opinion of Iheir own thing; ; they set an high rate on their own ex- cellencies, and so do men of their righteousness. Pride makes men unreasonable in their esteem of it, they mag- nify it *beyond all bounds. Pride hinders them from passing an impartial judgment upon what they do and arc : they think their hea ts are a great de&I better than R they 12 The Safety ef Appearing in Chap. VIII, they he. When Haiad was told what lie should af- terwards do, he answers the prophet, " Is thy servant a dog that he should do this thing ?" 1 Kings viii. 12, 13. They imagine ihat their corruptions are mortified, that they love God and Jesus Christ: Prov. xxx. 12.- " There is a generation that are pure in their own eyes, yet are not cleansed from their filthiness." Pride makes them take up a good opinion of their own hearts upon small appearances : and when they have only a few pangs of affection, presently they are conceited that they have sincere desires after holiness and faith ; or at least that their is such an inclinahleness to the ways of God, which will with diligence grow up to be love to God and his ways. They think they shall bring their hearts to it after a while ; and are conceited that their services are very pleasing and acceptable to God ; they think there is worthiness in them, that they deserve to be accepted. They think they carry it better than others : pride makes Tnen to admire their own excellency ; to fall in love with their own beauty ; they exiol the services that they do, because they are their own. Luke xviii. 12. " I fast twice in the week, and give tithes of all that I pos- sess." 2. Another temptation is, that God in the Scripture does manifest and testify his great approbation of holiness and obedience, prayer and repentance. God gives great encouragement unto men to walk in ways of holiness* He bears witness often to his acceptance of the obedi* encc of his people. God is all along in the Scripture witnessing Chap. VIII, the Righteousness of CHRIST. 185 witnessing the regard he has unto holiness. Sometimes he tells us that he does delight in it, Psal. xv. 8. "The pra,er of the upright is his delight." That he loves it. Psal. xi. 7. " The righteous Lord lovelh righteousness." That he loveth the righteous, Psal. cxlvi. 8. " The Lord oveth tixe righteous. " That he is reconciled to such as do amend their ways, Isai. Iv. 7. " Let him return unto the Lord, and he will have mercy on him." And God makes promises of all sorts of blessings unto holi- ness : of outward blessings, peace and plenty, and hon- our and long life : and of spiritual mercies, of ihe man- ifestation of himself, and communion with them : and of eternal life. " You have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life," Rom. vi. 22. Men meeting with abundance of such passages in the Scrip- ture, are greatly strengthened in their apprehensions of the efficacy of their own righteousness, to procure their justification. Such passages of- Scripture are strained by them, and they grow up thereby into a more established opinion of their safety, upon the account of their own righteousness : meeting : wtth such commendations of the practice of holiness, they are much confirmed in their carnal confidence, in such ways as these. ( 1 .) Hence they think their own righteousness does draw the heart of God unto them ; they think that their Koliness does attract the affection and good will of God unto them. They imagine that their holiness does work them into God's love ; that the beauty of their holiness does capti- vate the affections of God ; that their cries and carriages do work upon divine compassions, and make God will- b'j>g to bestow salvation upon then:. And indeed, a self-righteous ! 84 The Safety of Appearing in Chap. VI IK self-righteous man doth attribute more to his own right- eousne?, than a saint does to the righteousness of Christ : a godly man neither doe?, nor ought to make the right- eousness of Christ the foundation of God's love. Christ has purchased the fa"vor of God, and reconciliation with him ; but he did not purchase the good will and love of God ; there was eo need of purchasing that. God could love sinners freely ; there was no possibility of pur- chasing that ; that was too great a thing to be purchased. Christ procured the effects of God's love, but not the love -itself. God's love was the cause of Christ's coming, not the effect thereof ; bat the i elf-righteous man imagines a. virtue in his own righteousness to draw the heart of God to him, and engage the love of God. (2.) Hence they think their own righteousness does make amends fur their miscarriages ; that they have made an atonement for themselves for their former sins. They think their repentance makes up that breach that sin had made, and thai, out of a respect unto that, God forgets what they have done amiss. They imagine that there is a reconciling virtue in their reformations and good services ; that they satisfy God for what has past. And herein- they attribute more to their own obedience, than we ought to do to the active obedience of Christ. Christ's active obe- dience was not sufficient to satisfy for sin : it purchased the blessings of the covenant, but it did not deliver us from the cur^e. Active obedience to the law has merit in it, if it be perfect ; but it has hot any satisfying virtue. Ii is something of another kind that God requires for satis- faction. The law threatens death for sin, Rom. vi. 23, ' The wages of sin is death." So that Christ's active obedience Chap. VIII. the Righteousness of CHRIST. 18 obedience could not satisfy for sins : if he undertake to satisfy for sins, he must bear the punishment of deai.Ii. (3.) Hence they think that out of a respect to their own righteousness, and upon the account thereof, God will be- stow salvation upon them. They think that this is that which interests them in all the good of the covenant. Their own prayers and reformations^ and affections and zeal in the cause of God, is that which makes them heirs of glocy, and gives them a title to the eternal inheritance. They look upon their own righteousness as the price of heaven, and think they have done something to the earn- ing of glory ; they are at work for God, and look upon heaven to be their wages. And herein they attribute that to their own righteous- ness, that ought to be attributed unto the righteousness of Christ. This was the very design of the active obedi- ence of Christ, to give us a claim to glory. Because we were very unworthy, and could not fulfil the condition of the law, Jesus Christ undertook for us, and lias per- formed the righteousness of the law, and merited eternal life. Rom. vi. 23. " The gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord." 3. Another temptation to make men depend- upoo. their own righteousness, and seek salvation in that way, is the steming excellency of their own righteousness. There is a real excellency in true heliness, it is the perfection of man's nature. Sin is a vile thing, but holiness does ad- vance and perfect man's nature : Holiness is the glory of man. The righteous is more excellent than his neighbor. The righteous are called excellent ones, Psal, xvi. 3. And R r though 1 he ' Safety of Appearing in C hap. "VI 1 1 : it though all the righteousness of self-righteous men is but hypocrisy, and therefore an abomination in God's sight 5 }et they themselves do imagine that there is an excellen- cy in it, and from hence they make ii a ground of confi- dence ; imagining an excellency in it, they think God is taken with it, and that it is meritorious : they do, from the excellency of their caniage promise salvation to themselves. And there is a fourfold excellency which they are wont to take special notice of. (1.) The moral excellency of their carriage. They count their carriage excellent, because they live according to principles of honesty, and sobriety, and piety. They are no drunkards, nor oppressors, nor railers, nor sab- bath-breakers, nor swearers, fyc. ; but they have a good conversation : they do not live a profane nor sensual life : a e not blemishing themselves by vicious courses. They have an amiable lovely, and justifiable carriage. Their outward carriages are according to principles of reason and religion. Their behaviour rs equal, and honorable ; they walk without blame. The Pharisee was lifted up with that ; he was no extortioner, unjust person, noradid- terer. The young man was taken with that, that he had' been moral from hisyouth, Mat. xix. 20. Paul speaks 1 of that as a thing which men build much upon, that as '* touching the righteousness of the law they are blame^ less/' Phil, iii.6. (2.) The religious affections that they feel working in their hearts* Sometimes -such men have great affections ; they have melted affections under the considerations of their sins, and God's mercies, outward salvation, the sufferings Chap. VIII. the Righteousness of CHRIST. W sufferings of Christ for sinners, and the like : they have- a delight in ordinances, strong desires after Christ and ho- liness j they have a zeal against the sins of the times, and' for the better party. The Scripture is plentiful in -instan- ces of such affections in unconverted men, as Saul, the stony-ground hearers, and others, and they count these sincere, and are highly taken wiih them. They look 1 upon these to be the very spirits of religion, things which do greatly ingratiate them with God. They look upoa these affections as blessed frames of heart. The^e they- thtnk are ihe things that God does especially delight in; - they count these heavenly frames of heart. They are much affected with their affections; now they reckon* they have a suitable frame of heart to spiritual things. (3.) The difficulties that they go through m serving of God ; which raises the price of their services, and make them more available. They mind that they take a great deai of pains in serving God, in reading and praying, and taking spiritual opportunities ; they do not gratify a slothful spirit, but are laborious in religion, and they hope God takes notice of that. So they are at considei a ble expense ; they spend off their estates in works of pi- ely and charity ; and on that account value their duties highly : so they are much in fasting, and in that way af- flict their bodies : so they, upon ihe account of religion, have displeased friends, incurred the anger of men, been reproached, borne persecution : And upon this account, . they count their services excellent ; they think it is no small matter to do what they have done, and are readv to please themselves that they have merited highly thereby, Luke xviii. 12. " I fast twice in- the week and give tithes of all that 1 possess. " (4.) The. IBS The Safety of Appearing we. Chap. VIII. ' (4.) The' r sef#ice~ableness of their carnages. They by their carriages, have done great service, and upon that account they do extol and magnify them ; they have by their charity relieved many a godly man ; and, by their zeal, counsel, bounty, learning, the public good has been promoted ; they have been a means to promote religion in the place where they lived. They have put their shoul- ders to the cause of God when it needed a lift. They have been peace-makers, they have been ready to forward any good design ; they have comforted mourners ; they have stirred up others to godliness ; there has been much good promoted by them ; they have had a hand in many >. a good work ; and have been instruments to promote thfc glory of God in their place. And upon this account they think they have deserved well ; such services are not to be* forgotten : Mat. vii. 22. " Lord, Lord, have we not prophecied in thy name ?" And there are tivo things that do considerably strength- en this temptation. ( 1 .) That others have a good, and, it may be, an high opinion of them. They take notice of that, that others esteem them ; they pass currently for saints where they are known ; they have the good word of others ; godly, men that have a spirit of discerning, .do take them for saints ; they have entertained them into their, societies, . take delight in their company, entreat their prayers. This , greatly establishes them in that apprehension, that they carry themselves excellently. They think they are not alone in judging so of themselves, but others, wise and : experienced men, judge so too. It would shake their confidence Chap. VIII. the Righteousness cf CHRIST. its confidence if others thought them hypocrites ; but they perceive that others have no suspicion of them. (2.) That their carriages are far better than the carria* ges of many others. When they compare themselves with many others, they are hugely taken with them- selves : many others are profane and vicious, but they are not ; they do not lead such lewd lives as others do ; yea, they carry it better than many professors ; they are more exemplary in their conversation, not carried away so with the sins of the times, more strict in sanctifying the sabbath, and the like. They are more forward for public good ; not so passionate, not so covetous, nor so haughty, nor so complying with ill customs, as many others. Lukexviii. 11. tr J am not as other men, nor as this publican." 4. A fourth temptation that proves a snare to them, is, that God owns them in tkis way. Since they have reform- ed their course, and taken up the practice of religion, God's dispensations to them are otherwise than formerly. And this confirms their apprehensions that God is recon- ciled unto them, that they are taken into his favor, and so that their works are taking with God, and prevail for their acceptance with him. They think the providence of God does witness for them, that their services are of great account. And there are three things in providence that they build upon : ( 1 .) That God prospers them and succeeds them in their occasions. They thrive in the world more than they did formerly, their estates are blessed, they do not meet with such 190 The Safety of Appearing in Chap, VIII. such crosses in providence as formerly. That promise seems :.o be made good unto them, Psal, i. 3. " What- soever he doth shall prosper." God in his providence smiles upon them ; their cattle increase, or their trading succeeds, and they have credit and good acceptance among men ; they are improved in public service : and this they attribute to the delight that God takes in their conversation ; they look upon this as the fruit of their goodness. (2.) That God has given sovic remarkable answers to- tlteir prayers : And that not only when they have joined nviih others in prayer, but when they have prayed alone, in some particular case of their own, they have gone be- fore God, and poured out their hearts before him, and he has done ihe thing for them, and granted the desire of their hearts. And though there be no evidence of favor merely in God's doing that which men ask for, " God hears the ravens that cry," Psal. cxlvii. 9. and sometimes lie grants men's desires in judgment, Psal. cvi. 15.; yet these men build much on this thing, inasmuch as God has gratified them in a thing. that lay much upon their heart, and did it also in answer to their prayer. (3.) That God does sometimes draw nigh to them, and quicken and encourage them, when they have been serving him. Sometimes when they have been at prayer, God has greatly enlarged their hearts ; so in hearing of the word, and other ordinances, their heart does many times rcelt, God assists them, and does not leave them to a dry sapless spirit in (he practice of religion ; but he warms ilieir hear is, and kindles gracious affections in them ; \vhile Chap. VIII. the Kighteoitsnes* of CHRIST. 1-Si while others are sleeping in the house of God,, iheir hearts are grea ly affected whh spiritual things, afld they look upon this as a sign that their ways are pleading unto God. They count ihat nnw they have communion with God, and now and then they have had some special en- couraging words set home upon their hearts ; some pro- mises have come to them, that have much revived them. And this they think evidences the favor of God, and the excellency of their carriages. 5. The fifth temptation is, that they do not know any ether way to get the favor of God, but by their own right- eousness. It is a dreadful thing unto them to go without the favor of God. They have had convictions of ihe dreadfulness of hell ; and they tremble to think of being rejected, they would not fora world be cast away ; it is an amazing thing to them to think of dwelling with de- vouiing fire. So that they are pressed in spirit, if it be possible to secure their salvation, and gel as strong and sure a title to heaven as they can ; and they do not know any other way but this, by their own righteousness. There is another way proposed unto them ; they hear often of the way of salvation by Christ, but it is a mere mystery unto them ; they do not conceive the safety that is in this way, there reason does not reach it ; what- ever is said unto them, they look upon it un'ike!y, they are not satisfied in the justice of it, or that God can find in his heart to pa don them in this way. They a>e full of reasonings against it : though God testify plainly unto this way of salvation, yet they dare not vemure it: this way is hidden tlom them, 2 Cor. iv. 4-. "If our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost." Hence they dare not 19-2 The Sqfety of Apptaring in Chap. VIII. not give over seeking by their own righteousness, and let go their carnal confidences. It is with them as with a man that is falling down some steep place, or a man that is drowning, they catch hold on a twig, or a rotten stick, though it be sufficient to help them. Or as with a traitor that gets into a castle, because he sees no other \\ayofpreservation. So awakened sinners are seeking by their own righteousness to make their peace ; because they know no other way, they dare do no other ; though they have many misgivings of heart, that all their right- eousness will not do, yet they look on this as the most pro- bable way, and hence dare not take any other course. This appears, (1.) Because terrors of conscience put them upon their duties. Though afterwards they may find some delight in them, and some affections 10 God and his ways, yet the first thing that sets them a-going is terror ; fear makes them reform and pray ; they are scared into religion, fthey are forced out of these sinful practices, and fired out of those ways of sin that they were addicted unto. Their fear does direct them unto this way as the safest. If they knew a better way, they would not violenilypursue this ; for there is that principle in every man by nature, that carries him out necessarily to seek his own happiness. Fear and dread of hell make them do what they do in religion. Jobxli, 25. " By reason of breakings, they purify themselves." (2.) They are afraid to see the plague of their own hearts. Experience witnesses to this, that they dare not yield themselves to be such as they are : many a sinner dare Chap. VIII. the Rightecttsne ?s of CHRIST. 193 dare not yield himself to be unsound in religion, (o be un- converted ; they compass sea and land to strengthen their false hopes : and many a man that knows he is un- converted, and has some conviction that he must see the badness of his heart before he be converted, and accord- ingly prays for it, that God would open his eyes and dis- cover it to him, yet all the while he is secretly nourish- ing an apprehension that his heart is belter than it i?. He hopes he hates sin, that he desires holiness, thai he is sincerely labouring after the work of humiliation ; and he dreads the sight of his own heart, is very loath to yield it to be so bad as it is. And when God forces the conviction on him, it is a terror unto him ; he is like a man that desires that a limb of his body should be cut offforthe preservation of his life : yet when it comes to be done, it is a (error to him ; so a natural man does not see the plague of his own heart, nor, will he ever see it till it be forced upon him. Fourthly, Let us consider what confidence such men way attain unto. And it is plain from the Scripture, that such may be very confident of their good estate, and future sal- vation ; they may be strongly possessed with it, that they shall be saved. Though many that are seeking life by their own righteousness, live in dismal perplexity, and through fear of death are subject to bondage ; and others live an unquiet life between hope and fear, accord- ing as the frames of their hearts are ; ^et there be those that do at tain a very strong confidence. Prov. xxx. J2. " There are a generation that are pure in their own eye*, yet are not cleascd from their filthiness." John \x. 4o! " Are we blind also }" A self-righteous man may be S more 194- The Safety of Appearing in Chap. VIII. more confident than many Fainls. And this confidence does arise partly from a conceit of the worthiness of their carriages ; they think that their carriages do make up the breach between God and them : and partly from signs, which are of two sorts. (1.) False signs. Many times men make rules to judge of themselves by, which are fallacious and deceit- ful : Men make a judgment of themselves by a false standard : they lake such to be-igns of salvation as may be found in many a man that perishes ; either from their own fancy, or from the apprehensions of some other men, or from mistaking some other pieces of Scrip! ure : Men look upon that to be a sign, which does not distin- guish an heir of glory from a child of wrath. It may be of great advantage for ministers to lay down some- limes probable signs, but men must have a care that they do not draw conclusions from thence. When men try themselves by false signs, they take a ready course to de- ceive themselves. Thus men do,when they conclude from hence that they pray constantly in secret, they do not know that they allow themselves in any known sin, they associate with the people of God, they are liberal to the poor, they are accounted of by the godly, $c. that they are in a good estate, and shall be saved. (2.) True signs misapplied. Thus many times men mistake in judging of themselves ; though the rule they go by is good, yet, falsely applying it to themselves/* they lake that which they find in themselves to be anoth- er thing than it is. The rule is good, but the qualifica- tion is not found in them. That rule which does indeed condemn them, they do justify themselves by so they Justify themselves by those signs of trial, of love to the brethren, Chap. VIIL the Righteousness of CHRIST. 18.5 brethren, hatred of sin, believing in Christ, concluding upon some mistakes that it is so with them. Fifthly, Let us consider how such stlf -right eons men do hid2 it from themselves that they trust in their own righteousness. For the Scripture does so plainly witness against justification by works, that if they saw that they trusted in their own works, that alone were enough to dash all their comfort ; so that there is a necessity in places of gospel-light, that such men do add this delu- sion to the other, to persuade themselves that they do not make their oivn righteousness the foundation of their con- fidenct'. Hence self-righteous men please themselves that they believe in Christ : they trust in their own righteousness, and yet fancy that they trust in the right- eousness of Christ. And this they do by such pre- tences as these : \ . They pretend that they do not trust in their own righteousness, because they are convinced that their own righteousness cannot save them. They are satisfied that their own works cannot justify them before God : they think the opinion of the Papists is sottish and irrational ; they are settled in that doctrine, that works cannot justi- fy them : but this may be, where men's confidence is in their own works. There are none among us that do think that works can save them, yet there be multitudes that do put their trust in their own righteousness. The reason of this is, because men seek salvation by mixing the covenant of uorks and grace together. They reckon that works alone cannot save them, yet ihey reckon that they will contribute much to their salvation : they think that works are no sufficient of themselves for their salva- tion, 196 The Safety of Appearing in Chap. VIII. lion, but yet the) think they have a great stroke in their justification. They think their works do gain God to be willing !o save them, and there is somewhat of merit in them, yet fhey judge they will not do alone without grace and the righteousness of Christ. Rom. ix. 32. "They sought it as it were by the works of the law." 9. They pretend that they do not trust in their own >vorks, for though ihey do take encouragement from them, yet it is only as they are signs of a good estate, not as the foundation of their faith. They say that ministers and what will be- come of \.he justice of God that stands engaged to fulfil Ihe .law ? What warrant have men to expect salvation in such a way, wherein God must part with his own glo- ry, before he can bestow glory upon them ? wherein he must deny nature, before he can satisfy their expectation ? How can men think that God is so in love with their per- formances, as to pervert judgment for their sakes, and pull them into heaven by force, though the law does positively declare against such proceedings ? God would not save believers but with the leave of the law, until ca:e was taken that that might be satisfied ; and will he save these men to the overthrow of his law, and everlast- ing reproach of his justice ? The righteousness of the law does not admit of their salvation. For, ( 1 .) The law requires that the curse be executed for sin. The law pronounceth the sinner accursed, Gal iii. 20. " Cursed is every man thai continueth not in all things J O tlwt are written in the book of the law to do them :" the law 204 The Safety of Appearing in Chap. VIII. law pronounceth the sinner an heir of death, Rom. vi. 23. And it is a most vain imagination for man to think the law will take up with obedience instead of the suffer- ings of death. Disobedience brings the curse, but obedi- ence cannot remove it. Obedience would have prevented the curse, but obedience cannot remove it. The law make* no mention of obedience for satisfaction ; obedi- ence is a thing of another kind than the satisfaction which the law demands. The active obedience of Christ could not satisfy for our sins ; and how can men think that that obedience which was due to the law, if we had never sinned, can satisfy for our sins ? that the paying of that natural debt which we were born under, will also satisfy this new debt which we have contracted by sin ? espe- cially when our obedience is so defective, that in that w are again deserving damnation. (2.) The law requires perfect obedience in order unto life. Gal. iii. 12. " The man that doth these things shall live in them/' It is perfect obedience, for it is such obedience as is not mingled with sin. If there be any mixture of sin, then the person is exposed to the curse ; but it is impossible that a person should at the same time be an heir of the curse and the blessing ; of hell and heaven ; but there is no man in this life that does attain unto perfect obedience. Those that put their trust in their own righteousness, do not perform right obedience ; their obedience is only the shell and carcase of obedience; their best works are not only sinful, but properly sins, for they are acted by a spirit of lust in all thai they do. Self- love rules every unregenerate man. Rom. viii. 8. " They that are in the flesh cannot please God." And the obe- dience Chap. VIII. the Righteousness of CHRIST. 20j dience of the people of God is greatly tainted with sin. The saints do many things lhat are sins, and their best duties also are sinfully defective ; sin cleaves to their.. Besides ihe positive workings of sin, they cannot per- form any inward act of grace with their whole soul, as long as the soul is imperfectly sanctified, 1 Kings viii, 46. " There is no man that sinneih not." Quest. But is not God above the law ? may not he dis- pense with his own law, and savs sinners notwithstanding f Ans. The law does derive all its authority from God ; but lie is not so above the law as to disannul it, and act con- trary to it. God may not contradict the law. To say that God is above the law, so as to dispense with it, is to say that God is above himself. The law is God's law, and he will own it. To set God against the law, is to set God against himself. The law is nothing else but an everlasting rule of justice, that God has made between himself and man : and the Lord will not suffer any vio- lence to be done to his law : every jot and tittle of the law must be fulfilled, Mat. v. IS. There is no such gos- pel as overthrows the law ; Rom. iii. 31. "Do we make void the law by faith, God forbid, yea we establish the* law." If the law might have been dispensed wiihal, I there had been no necessity of Christ's death. It was upon that account that Christ died to answer the demands of the law ; and why should God be prodigal of the blood of his Son ? If man might have been saved by God's sovereign dispensing with the law, would God have put Christ to such sufferings ? Christ must suffer. that so the law may be satisfied ; and indeed the con- sciences of men will never nave peace till they see the T law Z06 The Safety of Appearing in Chap. VIII. Jaw answered. Conscience echoes to the law, and if en- lightened, will condemn where the law condemns. As long as the law curses, conscience will curse too ; there is no quieting of conscience as long as he sees the law against him. The reason is, because the law is the voice of God, 1 Cor. xv. 56. " The sling of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law." The law makes sin to have such power, to sting and torment the con- science. 4-. This way of salvation by men*s own righteousness is contrary to God's PROVIDENCE in providing a perfect righteousness for us in Jesus Christ. God has prepared a righteousness to our hand by Christ Jesus, Dan. ix. 24. " He brings in everlasting righteousness/' This right- eousness is altogether complete, and there is no defect ei- ther in the doings or sufferings of Christ; and it was for us; Heb. x. 14. " By cne offering he hath perfected forever them that are sanctified." And it was by won- derful providences this righteousness was provided for us. This is the most observable and glorious work that ever God did in the world. This lay much upon the heart of God from everlasting, 1 Pet. i. 20. " He was foreor- dained before the foundation of the world :" And is the most remarkable among all the births of time. Besides other providences for the accomplishment of this, there were those two exceeding eminent, sc. the incarnation of the Son of God, whereby God became man, a mysteri- ous woik, and of infinite condescension ; wherein the greatest glory is bestowed upon the human nature of Christ, that any creature is capab e of. The other is, food's inflicting his wrath on Christ Jesus, and execut-] ing Chap. VIII. the Righteousness 'of CHRIST. ?0t ing the curse cfthe law upon his dearest Son ; a thing that would never have entered into the heart of man to con- ceive of, had it not been revealed unto u*. And when we see God making such preparation for the salvation of sinners, and in so costly a way providing a righteousness for them ; may w r e not conclude that they stood in ne~ cessity of this righteousness, that they were incapable of providing one for themselves ? Surely we had no ground to conclude that they were in a perishing condition, and would be lost forever, if God did not take care for them. Who would imagine that these sinners could provide a righteousness for themselves, and earn their own salva- tion ? But these are the workings of the hearts of self- righteous men. And herein you cast an ill imputation, upon the wisdom of God, in troubling himself to provide a righteousness for you, when with some assistance and strengthening frcm him, you could provide one for your- selves. Men herein are reproaching of God, as if he had put himself to needless expense ; they are blemish- ing this great work of God, as if it were in vain. God has set open a fountain to wash in for sin and for unclean- ness, but they hope to wash themselves clean enough by their own tears. God has set up a ladder whose foot stands upon the earth, and whose top reacheth unto heav- en ; but they hope to build a tower whose top shall reach to heaven, and clime up that way. God has provided himself a sacrifice, but these think they can make atone- men themselves. What do you, but asperse and blemish the infinite wisdom of God ? as if he took a great deal of care, & were at a great deal ofcost about that that signified nothing, and troubled himself with vast expence to make a way to heaven, when there was a better path before. Sure 308 The Safety of Appearing in Chap. VIII. Sure God who is infinite in wisdom would not have pro- vided a righteousness for sinners in Christ, if they could provide one for themselves. This providence of God does speak you to be under a dreadful mistake, Gal. iii. 21. " If there had been a law given that could have giv- en life, verily righteousness should have been by the law." Rom. viii. 3, 4. " What the law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending hii own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin con- demned sin in the flesh, that the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us." Gal. ii. 16. 5. This way of salvation by men's own righteousness is cross to God's design. The great design of God in pardoning and saving of sinners, is to glorify the riches of his grace ; to let the world understand what a gracious God he is. God has olher methods to glorify his other attributes. By the creation of the world, by his giving of the law, by eternal punishments upon wicked men and angels, he glorifies hispou-er, wisdom, holiness and justice; but notwithstanding these works of God, the pardoning grace of God lay hid. But he has contrived the salva- tion of sinful man, as for the farther manifestation of his other attributes, so in special to make known the riches of his pardoning and saving grace : Eph. i. 7. " In whom we have redemption ^through his blood, the for- givness of sins, according to the riches of his grace." Eph. ii. 7. speaking of the benefits we have by Christ, he gives this as the reason, that in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kind- ness towards us through Christ Jesus. And this way of salvation by Christ, is a proper means for the furthering of Chap. VIIL the Righteousness of CHRIST. .& of this end. Though Christ has purchased pardon and glory for us, that dees not hinder the manifestation of God's grace, for though our pardon and salvation be a due debt in respect of Christ, yet it is a free gift in re- spect of us. Though there be a purchase, yet not by us but God sent his Son to make that purchase for us ; Rom. vi. 23. " The gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord." But when men seek salvation by their own righteousness, they seek it in a way directly re- pugnant to the design of God. This is a way to exalt themselves, and to rob God of his glory. When men trust in themselves, they glory in themselves ; they boast in their own excellency, and not in the free grace of God : " for if it be of works, then it is no more grace/' Rom. xi. 6. The self-righteous man does cross God's end ; if he should attain salvation in that way, God would miss his aim. The self-righteous man takes a course to dash the counsels of God to pieces, and make the design that was upon his heart in the salvation of sinners come to nothing. He seeks to overthrow this glorious contrivance of God, for the advancement of the glory of his grace. If man should have salvation as (he fruit of his own earnings, and the reward of his own deservings, man would be blessed, but the glory of grace would not be manifested. God's design would fall to the ground, and the counsel of his heart forever miscarry : but " the counsels of God stand forever, and the thoughts of his heart to a'l generations." Can it enter into the heart of any man to conceive that God will not be true to his own design, but gratify the hu- mours of men, by saving of them in such a way as is it ? surely men are horribly stupid to ex- T t pect 5-10 The Safety of Appearing in Chap. VI II. pect salvation in such away as will not stand with God's design. Whatever hopes of this kind men feed them- selves wiih, they will end in disappointment; if such be not disappointed, God must be disappointed. nuen C H A, P. IX. tJSE II. Examination; Whether men do believe in the Righteousness of Christ ? USE II. TO put you upon the EXAMINATION, t tryou do put your trust in the righteousness of Christ ? If so, then you are in a safe condition, and 'may stand before God another day with comfort. In the great day of the Lord, multitudes I hat have made a profession of religion will miserably fail of their expectations ; and that upon this account, that they want the wedding garment : but although you have many failings, yet if you believe in Christ/' you shall not be confounded, 1 Pet. ii. 6. All;- your religion signifies nothing as to your salvation, if you , io not believe in Christ. If you would know then what you are like to meet withal at the the day of judgment, whether you shall find acceptance with the Lord, when thousands shall not, try yourselves by this, whether you do believe on Jesus Christ ? There be some other way of trial, from all those things that do accompany salvation ! but this is the principal way, to which indeed all others are reducible. There be other properties that are evi. iential of a roan's safety j but this is the foundation evi- dence, Chap. IX, the Righteousness of C dence, as that which gives him his right and title to sal- vation ; 1 John v. 13. "I have written to you that believe on the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life." Examine therefore, whether you do indeed believe on the Son of God ? There be many that " say they have faith/' Jam. ii. 14. there be many pretenders to faith ; there is as much deceit in the heart about faith, as about any other grace ; there are imita- tions and resemblances of faith, such as the Scripture does give the name of faith unto, Luke viii. 13. " which for a while believe." All sorts of men that make pro~ fession of the doctrine of salvation by Christ, profess this. Profane men profess this, and self-righteous men profess this. Men that were ji ever sensible that God was indeed angry with them, and men that do imagine that they have pacified him, are both of them pretenders to faith in Christ. Men that do indeed trust in that they never did much provoke God, and men that trust in that they have pleased him again, do both make profes- , sion of their faith in Christ. Therefore it stands you in hand, strictly to examine, whether you do indeed believe in the righteousness of Christ ? ., And you may try it these several Ways ; 1. By the foregoing work of humiliation. . \ 2. By the manner of the soul's first closing with Christ* 3. By the living a life of faith on Christ fesus. . 4. By that holiness that does accompany and flow from? faith in Jews Christ. 1. Try* 212 Ihe Safety of Appearing in Chap. IX. 1. Try your faith by the foregoing' work of humilia- tion. There is a preparatory work necessary before a sinner's closing with Christ : this is a work that comes between the rest of the soul in sin, and the sinner's ac- cepting of Christ Men do not immediately step out of a condition of quietness in sin t into a slate of salvation. A tree must first be prepared before it be laid in the building ; the bodies at the resurrection must be prepar- ed before life be put into them ; so the heart of a sinner must be first prepared, before it be united unto Christ : Acts ii. 37. and ix. 4, 5. and xvi. 29, 30. And hence the call of the gospel is particularly directed to them that are prepared ; " To such as are athirst," Isaiah Iv. 1 . ; " To such as are weary and heaven laden/' Mat xi. 28. Not but that it is other mens duty also to believe ; but because it is their next and immediate work to close with Christ : whereas it is other mens next work to come off from the world, a*nd out of themselves^ in order to their closing with Christ. There are two things of this preparation. The first is a work of awakening, whereby the sinner is convinc- ed of a present necessity of peace and reconciliation with God ; whereby he is put upon a diligent use of all means in order to his salvation. The other is humilia* tion f whereby the sinner is brought out of himself, and off from all his carnal confidences, to yield himself a prisoner to God. Until the soul be thus humbled, he is not capable of faith. Men will not come to Christ, till they are convinced of an absolute necessity of Christ. Men will never lake salvation as a gift of free grace, un til they are convinced of the necessity of the free grace of God, Chap. IX". the Righteousness of CHRIST. 213 God. " They that are whole need not the physician, but they 7 that are sick/' Mat. xi. 12. And they that con- ceit themselves whole, do conceit that they do not need the physician. Men that do not come off from all their own confidences will not put their confidence in Christ ; and therefore until men have this work of humiliation, God does not open their eyes to see the offer of the gospel. So that whatsoever faith men have, that have not had a work of humiliation, their faith is not of the right kind : for this is the manner of God, whenever he has fully pre- pared a soul for faith by a work of humiliation, then to infuse faith ; and many times he does it presently. When he has by the wonderful work of his spirit prepared a sinner for Christ, he does bestow Christ upon him : though I dare not say there is any direct promise made to humiliation in the Scripture. A man is not an heir of the promises till he does believe : yet universal experience does confirm it. It seems to be in this case as in the work of nature ; when the child in the womb it prepared for a soul, God does always infuse a soul into it, though there be no such promise ; so where the sinner is prepared for faith, God does infuse that. In order to your making use of this trial, we shall con- sider what this work of humiliation is, and the manner how it is wrought. Quest. What is the work of humiliation ? Ans. 1. Negatively in two particulars. 1. It is ?io* a broken, bleeding spirit' for sin. Many men take it to be so , and when they understand that they 214- The Safety of Appearing in Chap. IX. they must be humbled before their coming to Christ, they strive after this broken frame of spirit. And when they find but little of it, they complain they are not hum- bled enough, aud give that as a reason why they do not come to Christ. But what sinners find this way, is more like humility than humiliation. Men think if they could get much of this spirit, they sfiou'd be prepared for Christ indeed. But this is quite another thing from that humilia- tion that does go before fait h. Arg. 1 . This appears, because anunregenerate man can* not truly mourn for sin. From what principle should he do it before he is born again ? He may be grieved for it under other considerations, as it exposes him to a great deal of misery here and hereafter, yea as it is in itself evil ; but not as the greatest evil as it is against God. To sup- pose that a man can sincerely mourn for sin before his conversion, is to suppose him converted before his conver- sion. It is in regeneration that all the graces of the spirit are implanted in the heart : it is then that the heart of stone is taken away, Ezek. xi. 9. While men remain in a state of nature, a* they do under this work of humili- ation ; it is absolutely beyond them to hate sin, or mourn for sin. Nature, improved by common conviction, will never produce this effect. Every natural man 2*5 dead in sin, Eph. ii. 1. all his works in religion are dead works, Heb. ix. 14. There is no inclination in his heart to mourn for sin. Men must have a work of new creation upon them, before they can do this : Eph. ii. 10. " Created in Christ Jesus unlo good works/' Arg, 2. While natural rren seem to have relentings and focakings of heart for $iti t it is impossible but they should put the iv Chap. IX. the Righteousness of CHRIST. 21$ their confidence therein. A* long as he does imagine that there are any good affections in himself, he will be lift- ed up with them ; these affections will keep him from, being humbled. Men \\A\feedupon these husks as long as they can get them. There is no bringing of a natural jman out of his strong hold, until it be thrown to the ground. A bleeding heart is meal for carnal confidence. There is that spirit of pride and flavish fear in natural men, that, as long as they can imagine any good in them- selves, they will hang upon it ; Rev. iii. 17. "Thou sayest thou art rich and increased in goods/' 4rg. 3. When a man is indeed under the work of hu- miliation, fo sees he cannot mourn for sin. He sees his mourning frames are gone : he finds his heart shut up, and the pangs of affection, which he some time had, gone beyond recovery. In order to the work of humiliation, God makes men to see their hard hearts; and hence, they are wont to complain, when God is about to humble them, thnt God has left them, and is giving them over to a hard heart. But it is one thing to be judicially harden- ed ; another, to have their eyes opened to see the natural hardness of their hearts. Then a man sees that his heart is a. heart of stone. Arg. 4. Mourning for sin is a fruit of reconciliation. It follows upon the revealing of the mercy of God in Christ. All the sorrow and shame that went be- fore, were merely legal ; but evangelical repentance fol- lows faiih. Men never come to have any genuine mourn- ing for sin before they are converted. Ail (hat went be- fore, was in hypocrisy. But a spirit of repentance flows from faith, and is peculiar to such as are reconciled, Ezek. vi. ult. Thou shalt loath thyself, when I am pacified towards 11C Ttie Safety of Appearing in Chap. IX. toward thee,for all that thou hast done,saith the Lord God." 2. Humiliation is not a willingness to be damned. Some have thought that to be necessary ; and that this was hu- miliation. Some have thought they have attained to this ; and it is possible, that, under some strong pang, persons may find somewhat of this nature, but certainly they did not know their own hearts in it. Neither does God require any such thing cf men in order to their com- ing to Christ. Indeed, it is contrary to nature, for men to be willing to be damned. Wicked men do act as if they love damnation, Prov. viii. 36. " They that hate me love death ;" they do so interpretatively. But for men directly and understandingly to be willing to be damned, is against nature. God has planted a pjinciple of self-love in men, whereby they do necessarily desire their own happiness ; no persuasions can prevail with men not to desire their happiness. We may as soon persuade a stone not to be heavy, or the sun not to shine. There is a weight upon the soul of every man, carrying of it that way ; this is implanted by God in the very constitution of nature, and remains in man, in his corrupt, and his renewed estate. A man must shake off his nature, before he. can shake off this desire. Self-love is natural unto man. Man is capable of happiness, and, being capable of it, he stands in need of it. He cannoi be satisfied, un- til his capacity of happiness be filled : hence, he necessa- rily, and perpetually desires happiness. Besides this, it is contrary to God's command for a man to be willing to be damned. For God has commanded us to sesk salvation; he is often calling upon us to be seeking life, and that wjth earnestness ; Luke xiii, 24-. "-Strive to enter in at the Chap. IX. the Righteousness ef CHRIST. 3 17 the strait gate ;" and this seeking must be with earnest desires. And indeed, when this work of humiliation is wrought in the heart ; he yields, under this encouage- ment, that there is some hope or' salvation in God : hope of life in this way, is one of the things that make him lie down at God's foot. The four leprous men fell unto the host of the Syrians, because that was the most likely way for their lives to be preserved, 2 Kings vii. 4-. The Syri- ans submitted to Ahab in hope to fin$ favor, 1 Kings xx. 31. When the soul is humbled, he is as desirous of sal- vation as ever ; and it is the hope of that, thai has a great influence in his humiliation. 2. Affirmatively. It is an absolute submitting of him* self unto God's disposal. When humbled, he yields him' self into the hands of God, and makes an absolute resig- nation- of himself unto the will of God ; he yields him- self a prisoner. He would have yielded upon terms be- fore, but now he yields absolutely : as a rebel, when he sees himself conquered, yields ; so does the .soul to God. This carriage is opposite to his carriage before. I . He doe ; not seek deliverance from himself ; he yields to God, despairing .in himself \ He does noi feed him- self vvi.h vain hope*, and carnal confidences any longer; those hopes have all died away. His strong ho'd, that he trusted in, are thrown down. He does not s:ay any longer upon his -affections, reformations, victories over corruptions, fyc. ; he has no dependence upon anv strength cf his own, to gain any thing that will commend him to God. fie has no dependence on ordinance*, on his own wisdom to discover any \vav of help ; but ha U throws 218 J7ie Safety / Appearing in Chap. IX. throws up all his carnal hopes as vairv, and submits him- self lo mere)', Luke xv. 17. He leaves off quarrelling with God. Before he was humbled, his heart wrought within him ; he could not bear the thoughts of it, that God should cast him off; Ms heart rose vp against God, and he thought he had hard measure from God. His sin* were all decreed ; lie had done what he could ; he took great pains, and 3'et God did not shew him mercy. His heart ic-e, to 'think that God should make him to damn him ; save ard pardon others, and reject him. But now hi< mouth is stopt, he is silenced, he leis fall al his pleas yield< it to be fair for God to cast him off: he says as David, Psal. li 4. " Against thee, ihee only have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight, ihat thou mayest "be justified when thou speakest, and clear when thou judgest." Quest. In what way is this work of humiliation wrough, and the soul brought to submit himself to God ? Ans. In general, it is wrought ly conviction. It is not wrought by the infusion of any new principle into him ; the <=oul under this work, is in a state of nature ; neither is it wrought by niens oivn endeavours. Humilia^ tion is not the fruit of man's industry, but is a thing forc- ed on him by conviction. As men under the first work of the Spirit, are by conviction forced to/ear ; so, by a work of conviction, they are compelled to yield them- selves to God, Their strong holds are pulled down, and they necessitated to resign themselves. God works this work by conviction. Particularly, Chap. IX. the Righteousness of CHRIST. 219 Particularly, 1. By giving him c xperience of the jail- ing f a tt means. He sees no other way left. He has been trying to wring himself out of the hands of God ; he has been turning every way, and refuge fails hhn. He sees all his carnal hopes fall flat to the ground ; his carnal hopes vanish and die away. He ha* been waiting for light, and behold obscurity. He' has been trying all conclusions, every way he could devise and think of, turning every stone : he hoped, by hi* prayers, to make his heart better, and by his fastings, and by his watchfulness. Sometimes he thought, if he had more terrors, that would do ; sometimes' if he had more encouragements, then his heart would be better. He has tried the utmost of his skill upon his heart. Some- times he hoped, lhaf, in time, his heart would grtw better ; sometimes if he could hear such a minister ; some- times, if he could get such a good book, that others had got irurh good by ; then his heart would mend. The sinner is like a man lost in the wood*, that think?, it he steers such a course, that will biing him to the path; and, if that fails, he thinks, if he steers such a course, that will do ; bat, at last, he can contrive no longe. , but is utterly lost in his own sense. So the sinner has had many contrivance*, but all his projects fail : upon expe- rience, he finds himself, after all his pains, under the reigning power of sin ; and that he is spiritually dead. He thought he had made some proficiency ; but now he finds, by experience, that the life of sin is whole with- in him ; and that he has no power nor clisposi* tion to any thing that is good. He had enlargements formerly, and thought he could delight in Sabbaths ; but God is pleased to withdraw those encouragements that liC 30 Tic Sajcty of Appearing in Chap. IX. he had, and suffers the corruption of his heart to break out ; and upon (hat occasion, his affec;ions wither a- way ; that discourages him ; his heart dies within him, and he has no more strength. Now he sees he cannot love God, mourn for sin, &c. ; and hereby all his vain fcopes of mending his own heart, fall to the ground. Rom. iii. 9. " Sin revived, and I died," 2. By convincing of the strictness of the law. Thh i another thing that helps to make him yield : God convinces him of the rigour and exactness of the law. He imagined before, that his duties would make amends for his sins ; that God would 1x3 at peace with him, be- cause of his affections. But God shews him, that the law stands for perfect righteousness ; that the law must be fully satisfied ; that the law pronounces a curse for every sin ; that it can neither be abrogated nor moderat- ed, but must be fulfilled ; that the law curses " every one that continues not in all things that are written in ihe book of the law to do them/' Gal. iii. 13. And hereby the sinner sees the insufficiency of all his duties, and is brought (o despair in himself. 3. By tearing a hope in the heart, that God way yet help him. This conduces much to make the sinner yield ; 1 here is a secret hope that God leaves in the heart, that God will have mercy upon him* God leaves an appre- hension in men, of the possibility of their salvation. If they do not yield, there is certain death ; but there it some hope that God may spare them. They have some hopes arising from the power of God ; he can make dry bones to live : And from the mercy of God, whose thoughts are not as mens thoughts, nor his ways a$ mens ways, but high above them, as the heavens are a- taie Chap. IX. the Righteousness of CHRIST. 221 hove the earth : That also begets some hope, that there is a way of salvation by Christ ; that others have found help, when they have been in such a ca>e ; that there ar* promises of " taking away the heart of stone/' Ezek. xi. 19. This hope helps the soul much, in submitting to God. 4. By discovering his ow?i sovereignty. Men are greatly offended at God's proceeding 5 , and unsatisfied about his decrees and providences ; and this hinders them from submitting unto him. But God, by his Spir- it, lets in some discovery of his own sovereignty ; and thereby convinces them, that God does them no wrong ; that God may bestow his grace where he pleases ;_that he has dominion aver his creatures. This makes ihe soul confess with Job, Job xlii. 2. " I know thoLt canst do every thing." The soul standing convinced of these things, can do no other, but yield up himself int& the hands of God. Before I leave this way of trial, I shall answer two scruples that may arise in the hearts of some of the peo- ple of God, about their humiliation.. 1, Doubt. 1 fear whether I had a thorough work of hit* initiation. I never saw so much of the wickedness of my own heart, as some others do speak of. Ans. 1. There is no necessity of seeing all those sinful inclinations that are in the heart particularly. There is a great variety as to the particular discoveries that God makes to divers men : And one great occasion o? it, is, the different temptations that they are under. Some U u s* 222 The Safely of Appearing in Chap. IX. see more of a worldly spirit ; some more of afroivard ; some more of an aspiring spirit. A man may have dis- (meovcries of his own heart, after he hath been a saint many years, that he never had before. If a man see the fountain, it is sufficient, though he do not see all those various channels wherein it may run. 2. There is no necessity of seeing particularly their ina- bility to every duty. They mast feel themselves spiritu- ally dead : they feel themselves unable to do any thing that is good. But some men can speak abundance, more particularly to their inability to this and that duty, than others can. There are some duties that did not come in- to their thoughts at that time. It is necessary they should lose their sense of their ability to any thing ; should not be conceited of anv power or sufficiency. It i; not enough for men to see that they can do nothing of themselves. Men may say that, when they only find need of assistance, and not of the infusing of a principle of grace into them ; but it is sufficient, if they feel them- . selves spiritually dead. But there isjio necessity, that, at that time, they must particularly take notice, of their inability to love God's people, to be thankful, &c. though often they do : their thoughts are wont to be fixed, at I hat time, on such particulars as they were wont be- fore toprids themselves most in ; and such as they have special occasion at. that time to think of, from what they hear or read. 3. There is a necessity of seeing so muck of his own > heart, as to make him despair of mending it. To see it wholly under ihe power of sin, A .man may see abund-, anct hap. IX, this Righteousness of CHRIST. ance of corruption and wickedness in his own heart, and yet be a stranger to it. . Though he sees a great deal, yet, if he imagines that he can cure it ; if he have hopes of getting victory over it, he will not be humbled ; Isa. Ivii. 12. " Thou art wearied in the greatness of thy way, yet sayest thou not, there is no hope ; thou hast found the life of thy hand, therefore thou wast not grieved." Before he be humbled, he must see himself altogether under the power of sin, Rom., vii. 9. 4. There is a necessity of seeing so much, as to set him down that God may righteously cast him off. A man may see much, and yet not yield it, that it is fair for God to reject him. One foundation of quarrelling, is, an opinion of what he is, and has been doing. This breeds a great deal of wrangling in the heart, Isa, Iviii. 3. He is excusing of himself, because he would be bet- ter,and has taken pains in God's service ; so that^there is a necessity that he should see so much of his own wick* ed heart f as may quite silence him ; that he may see himself inexcusable, that he may not have a word to say ; but may be satisfied in God's proceeding, if he should i cast him off, Lukexviii. J3. Doubt 2. I fear whether 7 have had a thorough work ef humiliation, because I never found so much opposition to the yielding of myself into God's hands as some others speak of. Others have more dreadful risings of heart, nd morefiorrible sturdiness of spirit } and bore more dread- ful terrors before they could be brought to yield ^ere muck longer opposing and resisting, than it was with me. Some- what this way I found, but not so much as others, and. therefore / fear whether (he work were true, Ans, 1 , The Safety of Appearing in Chap. IX, Ans. 1 . Men have had a great deal more of opposition to this ivork of humiliation, than they take notice of, or understand. All those methods and ways that men take, to establish a righteousness of their own, are from a spirit of opposition to this work of humiliation. All mens endeavours to get any thing to commend them to God, are the workings of this spirit. Mens flying to lefuges of lies, and hiding themselves in the strong holds of their own righteousness, are, because they are not wil- ling to submit to God. All mens strivings to obtain the favour of God, by their prayers, affections, reformations, are upon this account, that they are not willing to yield themselves to be lost. Why do rren strive to earn their own salvation, but because they are unwilling to submk to the mere mercy of God ? 2. Some men are naturally of a more stubborn spirit than others ; and upon that account they feel more dread- ful opposition : though every natural man is equally un- der the power of sin, yet they are totally so. If the disposition to sin against God, does neither increase nor decrease in natural men, yet particular evil dispositions do. Some men, by reason of their temper t are ot a more stubborn spirit ; and, in other cases, are wont to be more difficult to yield either to God or man, than other men ; and that is one reason, why they, in this case, (.! experience more opposition. 3. There is a great difference in the rising of mens hearts against yielding to God, from the different man- ner of God's dispensations to them under this work ; tspecia ly in three things. 1. Some Chap. IX. the Righteousness of CHRIST. ? 1 . Some men had abundant more confidence thtit they were in a good estate, than ever others did arrive unto. They were strongly persuaded that ihey were converted, had had abundance of joy under the apprehension of their good condition. And when these hopes come to be pul- led away from them, it is no wonder thai their hearts work exceedingly ; they " are like the troubled sea, that easts forth mire and dirt." 2. Some men, when Ihey are emptied of their own righteousness, are left more upon the borders of despair than others are. There is a secret hope that God doeg sustain the hearts of all, by an hope rising from the pow- er of God, and the deliverance he has wrought for oth- ers, &c. ; in some there is more of this hope, in others, less. The more there is of this, the more this work of submission is facilitated. An enemy will sooner yield* where he has more hope of mercy, than where, he has less. The less hope men have, the more difficult their submission will be. That made the Syrians yield, be- cause they looked on " the kings of Iirael as merciful kings/' 1 Kings xx. 31. 3. God does discover his own sovereignty socner unt* some, than others. The conviction of that, is the thing that silences the heart, and makes it bow. That brought down Job's spirit, Job. xlii. 2, J. The soul will not yield till convinced of this ; and God is pleased to deal with men variously as to this : some he convinces sooner, and thereby prevents much of those stubborn workings,, that otherwise would be. 2, The second way of trial, is by the manner of 526 The Safety of Appearing in Chap IX, souPs first closing with Christ. There is a great differ- ence between saints and hypocrites in their first venturing upon Christ. Though there be a simil tude, yet there H al-o a dissimilitude. Some persons, indeed, through neg- ligence, lose the distinct remembrance &t this, which oc- casions much darkness afierwards; but a false heart does not experience such things in his first receiving of the gospel, as a sincere heart does. There are some things that are common to one and to another ; but there are other things that are peculiar to (he people of God. If the man- ner of their closing were the same, their faith would be the same : the manner of receiving is such, as doth dis- tinguish them. Take it up in such particulars, 1 . The soul is assured of the truth of the gospel, by the spirit of God. Before, the soul was full of doubts and questions ; but when he closes with Christ, he is assured of the truth of the gospel. The reason that men do not entertain the truth of the gospel, is, because they are not assured of the truth of it ; when they believe the truth of if, then it work* effectually upon them ; 1 Thess. ii. 13. " Ye received it not as the word of man, but (as it is in truth) the word of God ; which effectually worketh in you that believe. " When the soul first closeth with Christ, it is satisfied in the truth of the gospel. In the consideration of this, we may take notice of three things, ( 1 . ) Thaf, at this time, the soul knows the truth of the gosjjel. He had the notion of it before, but now he sees it to be so indeed ; it is a real thing unto him ; there is a light let into that soul, discovering the truth of the gospel, The Ghap. IX. the Righteousness of CHRIST. 227 The soul ha* not indeed, at that time, an actual and dis- tinct consider ion of all the fundamental truths of the gospel, so as to yieH a par.icula assent to every one of them : hut all those foundation-truths are radically made known at that time : ihat is, there i* that light put. iniothe soul then, that will make him yield an a^ent to all those truih-, when he comes to have the actua consideration of them, I John ii. 26. " Ye have an unction from the holy One and know all things:" And, at thi< time, the soul has the actual consideration of some foundation gospel-truth* ; such as, the infinite free mercy of God, the virue of the blood of Christ, or the like; and sees nich things, as neither his own reason, nor Satan, could make him to apprehend. And, although the soul has not the actual consideration of all foundation gospel truths yet he sees so much at that time, as satisfies him in the truth of the gospel. For the know ledge of the truth of the gospel does not depend upon the knowledge of all those things which must be true, if the gospel be true. The knowl- edge of some particular gospel-truths, may abundantly satisfy a man's heart, that the gospel* is true, so as to en- courage him to come to Christ. And, although the soul, at that time, does not give a particular assent to all those go-pel-truths which are the pillars of our faith t }et he does reject none. The truth of the gospel is discovered unto him, and that, not only in general, that there is sal- vation in Christ for them thaf come unto him ; but also, in particular, that there is salvation for him, if he will ac- cept of ii. He sees that Jiere is salvation for the most unworthy ; he sees, also, that this is offered by God unto hirr. That there is tha prccioumess in Christ, ihat free- ness in God's grace, that faithfulness in God's word ; that 'J^S Ihc Safety of Appearing in Chap. IX. that is a sufficient encouragement unto him to venture his soul on Christ. His eyes are opened, to see that there is safety for him, notwithstanding his unworthiness. He thought he believed the gospel before, but only did not know that God called him ; but now he sees go^pel- p: inciples in such a manner, that lie is satisfied that God called him, and ihat he may venture upon Christ. (2.) The c cul has, at 'his time, an assured of the truth ofthd gospel. It i- no( an opinion or conjec- ture arising from some prow&/d appearance , but an as- surance. The;efore they say, " We believe and are sure," John vi. 6>. The , oul certainly so. God gives us, outwardly, ^rea assurance of the truth of the gospe' ; aiid, at ihis. iime, the soul has inwardly an assur- ance of it. Ii is very true, iheie is a difference in the measure of assurance, that one has, and another has : all assurance is not in the like degree. We read some- times in Scripture, of an assurance, 1 Thess. i. 5. of " a full assurance," Heb. ix. 22. of "all riches of the full assurance of understanding/' Col. ii. 2. This as- surance, in the first closing whh Christ, whatever degree it is in, does not remove the habit and principle of doubt- ing ; though it does so mortify it in party that it never re- covers its strength again, yet there w>!l be frequent re- turnings of this spirit of cloub ing ; it will attend a saint less or more, as long as he lives: .And many times, in the first c.osing with Christ, the assurance is not in such a degree, but that there will be actual doubting ; the vvork- ings of a spint of fear are not wholly removed; some doublings and misgivings of heart are consistent, wiih as- aurance. A man may see, that it must reeds be so ; that Ghap. IX. the Righteousness of CHRIST. 2'^ that it cannot be otherwise ; and yet immediately have recoiling* of spirit : But the assurance the soul hath of the truth, so far prevails over all his doublings, that he can venture himself in the arms of Jesus Christ. (3.) The soul is assured, at this time, by the Spirit of God, that ihe gospel is true ; and the messages of salva- tion certain. " The Comforter shall convince of right- eoucl, be- cause Ghap.- IX. the Righteousness of CHRIST. 23,1 cause they found some good affections in themselves. If their "hearts had been dead and unsavoury, they could not have thought ihat God called them; but the foundation of their believing that they were invited, was, they found some goodness in themselves. But, certainly, this was built upon conjecture, and an opinion of their own ; and therefore they could not be assured of it. They had no assurance that they were called : though they might have a strong confidence, yet they could not be assured from thence that they were invited. 2> In the first receiving of Christ, the soul comes to him, merely upon the encouragement of the call of God in the gospel. God invites sinners, in the gospel to come to Christ, and many ways urgeih them so to do ; and from thence the soul takes its encourage- ment. There were many other things that encouraged them before to wait upon God for converting grace ; as, the power of God, God's converting of others ; his strivings with him by his Spirit : But the thing that is his en- couragement to come to Christ, is the call of the gospel. He sees his warrant in the call of the gospel ; the call of the gospel is the foundation of his faith : that is the reason of his faith, that God calls him in his word. The call of God does contain in it sufficient encouragement to be- lieve. For therein God shews his readiness to save sin- ners ; therein he shews, that there is a way of salvation prepared for them ; therein he binds his faithfulness to them, and lays bonds upon himself to save them, if they come to Christ : And this is the encouragement to them t* 232 The Safety of Appearing in Chap. IX. to believe, AcUxiii, 43. "They glorified the word f the Lord ; and a* many/* or, it may be read, hearing of them, but afterwards. Sometimes it is in the very time of hearing, Acts xiv. 1, 2. Acts ii. 41. but it may be as wtT; af- lerwards : it may be in time of prayer, and often is, c-r in meditation, God does it for them that wait upon him in his ordinances, bur not always in the time cf or- dinances. Thus it is wiJi o.her works of the Spi/it, awakening of sinners, comforting of saint-i, &c. Mat, xxi. 29. " He said I will no?, but afterwards h^rcpent- ed, and went." 3. There is no necessity that thi; closure with Christ should be wrought by the letter of the Scriptures. Fre- quently it is by some particular word ; but it i* many times otherwise. Sometimes the thing is urged by a min- ister, according to the Scripture, and God makes some sentence that he speaks effectual, Acts xvi. 31, 32. So sometimes in meditation, God makes men see the general call of the gospel, though no paruVular place be pi. died upon. Thusit is sometimes afterwards with saints. 4. There is wo necessity that the particular word that tlraws the soul to Christ, should be in the form cf an in- vitation. It is many times so, as by those words, Mat. xi. 28. Rev. xxii. 17. but it may be by any other gos- pel expression ; a^ by those words, 1 PeL ii. 24. " Who bore cur sins in his own bodv upon the cross." Isaiah liii. 6. *' He was wounded for our* sins, and bruised for our iniquities." Eph. v. 2. "He hath giv- en himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God of a sweet smelling savour." It may be wrought by any gos~ W w pel 1254- TJic Safety of Appearing in Chap. IX. pel precept, promise, declaration, God, by any such word may let in a light to shew the soul the truth of the gospel call. From this particular we may conclude the faith 01 two sorts of persons to be fahc* [1.] Such as ventured at first upon Christ from that encouragcjnent, that God loved them. They thought that God had a love for them, either from his outward providences ; he smiled on them in his providences, and blessed them and heard (heir prayers : or, he manifest- ed his love to them by restraining their corruptions, and keeping of them from such evil practices as others are addicted unto ; or else from some inward comfort that God has given them. God gave them some inward comfort when they were in a sad condition /and from thence they conclude the love of God ; and so are bold to venture themselves on Jesus Christ. They have had some inward joy, and that they make the foundation of their faith. And so they quite pervert God's order, they get first a faith of assurance that God loves them, and then they have a faith of dependence. But the particu- lar love of God is not the foundation of our faith, there is no need of knowing that in order to believing. The love of God is lo be cleared up by effectual calling, 2 Pet. 1. 10. God's love to the soul is a secret, until he does believe. Eph. i. 13. " After ye believed, ye were sealed with the holy Spirit of promise." God may reveal the love he has to a man, unto some other, before live man believes ; as the love God had to Jacob, was revealed to Rebecca, but not to the man himself. God's particular love is not the foundation of faith, but the call, tfthe gospel. [2.] Such Chap. IX. the Righteousness of CHRIST. 235 [2.] Such as ventured fust upon Christ upon that en- couragement, thai they loved God. They found affec- tions to God and Christ, and that made them think thai God meant them in the call of the gospel ; that made them think that it was not presumption for them to come to Christ ; that made them think that God would not reject them. Theiryzr^ encouragement rises from themselves, and then in a secondary way they take encouragement /rom^e gospel; that adds to their encouragement. But this faith is a rotten faith, it has not a right foundation. Such a faith may make men live more comfortable here, but it will deceive them, Rev, iii. 17. 3. In the first closure with Christ, there is such a light let into the soul of the sinner, that Itc cannot but come to Christ. When he does come, there is a necessity up- on him to come. It is thus many times, very remarka- bly afterwards, but eminently so at first. Before he comes, he cannot come, and when he does come, he cannot but come. The sinner has at that time such a supernatural light let into him, that he is under con- straints to come to Christ. All the wit in hell cannot persuade him to stay away. Where God begins to o- pen the eyes, there may be some objecting ; but before God has done, the light is so full, that the soul is carried captive by it. Ministers are required to " compel men to come in," Luke xiv. 23. ; that is, to use compelling arguments ; such as, when God sets the same home, will compel men. The light that God puts into the soul at that time, is such that he cannot withstand it ; it silen- ces all his carnal reasonings ; stops his niouth, answers bis objections ; so that he cannot stand out any longer. John vi. 45. " Every one that has been taught and hath learned of the Father, correth unto me." This I clear up from these considerations, 1. All 35 The Safety of Appearing in Chap IX, 1 . J// //jcrt 7 not satisfy themselves that they have believed, but do, from time to time, live a life of dependence on Christ. This life Paul lived, Gal. ii. 20. " I live by faith in the Son of God ;" that is the duty of them that, have believed, 1 John v. 13. " I have written to you that have bel'eved on the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life, and that you may be- lieve on the Son of God." And this is the spirit of those ; hat have believed ; they live a life of dependence upon Christ for every thing, even for outward things, for .ife, health, peace, liberty, provision, protection, for private and public blessings, but in special, for sane* .tification, acceptance, and eternal salvation. For C hap. IX . the Righteousness of C H R i s T . f 11 For the opening of this, we may consider, 1 . What are the actings of faith that believers arccxet- tised in, 2. Under, what considerations arc those actings of faith drawn forth. 5. The condition in which a believer is exercising faith. Quest. What are the actings of faith that a believer is exercised in ? Ans. K Assenting to this doctrine of salvation by Christ. The gloriousness of Christ's person and offices, the virtue of his sacrifice, the readiness of the Lord to save sinners by him, the readiness of God to accept of him through Jesus Christ. The believer receives these things as the word of God, 1 Thes. ii. 13. While oth- er men are dissenting, looking upon those things as cun* ningly devised fables ; or withholding their consent, as being uncertain reports, that they have not sufficient as- surance of; the believer acknowledges these things to be so indeed. The report of the gospel is entertained by him ; he d^es not look upon the things as doubtful, but the things are real things to him ; he does not look up- on them as things that may be, or are likely to be (rue,, but things thai must be. The declarations of God's word concerning ihe-e things come with authority upon hU heart. He is satisfied that things are so. Hei< not afraid that there is deceit in the bottom, and ih:U he is abuied in these reports. He does noi demur and hesi- X taio 242 The Safety of Appearing in Chap. IX^ late about them, but they are firm conclusions in his breast ; they are as real 10 him, as the shining of the sun, and the burning of the fire : So Luke says of the passages of Christ's life and death ; they are things which are ft most surely believed arrong us," Luke i. 1. They look on them as certain ; they are persuaded of the truth of them. Others are afraid whether they be so or not, but a saint is persuaded of them, Heb. xi. 13. They are to them as if they saw them with their eyes ; John viii. 56. " Abraham rejoiced (o see my day, and saw it and was glad/' He saw the day of Christ's incarnation and passion ; it wa above two thou- sand years off, but he saw it as if it were present. Faith makes things evident : while others are at a loss a- bout things, and cannot tell how to be satisfied, they are in the dark, and perplexed with surmises ; faith makes the things plain and evident to believers, Heb. xi. 1 . ' ' Faith is the evidence of things not seen." Accepting of salvation by Christ. It is offered to him, and he receives it. The believer takes the lender with all his heart ; while other men stand disputing whether they may, he boldly runs the venture of it ; while oth- ers are waiting for more encouragement, and are fright- ing of themselves with the reasonings of their own hearts, he is thankfully accepting of the offer. He sees a door open, and he ventures to go in. Carnal reason tells him it is dangerous ; that he need be advised what he does : but let carnal reason say what it can, he will ven- ture the case. He deserts all other proffers, and puts himself into this castle, and ventures his life in it. He puts to sea in this bottom ; embarks himself here, let what Ohap. IX. the'Righteousness of CHRIST. 244 what storms will come ; he parts with all for this jewel; and has his whole dependence upon this. He forsakes all other lovers, and accepis the tenders of Christ. Carnal reason tells him, he will bring himself to misery ; but he is willing to venture it. He relinquishes all other hopes, and puts himself into the hands of Jesus Christ. He says, as Paul, <( It is a saying, worthy of all acceptation, that Christ came" into the world to save sinners/' 1 Tim. i. 15. He flees for refuge to Christ when conscience is pursuing of him ; thither he betakes himself, Heb. vi. 1 8. He gets under the shad- ow of Christ, and ventures himself upon that protection which Christ will give him. When he hears what is to be said on all sides, he makes choice of the offer of Christ, and ventures himself with him ; he refuses oth- er offers, and takes this, Jer. iii. 22. " Return, ye backsliding children, and I will heal your backslid- ing : behold we come unto thee, thou art the Lord our God." 2. Viewing and beholding the excellency of Christ. As one that trusts in a castle., he loves to be viewing and taking notice of the strength of it, the thickness and bread l h of the walls ; so he that trusts in his own right- eousness, loves to ly poring upon the multitude of his services, the fervour of his affections, the pains he has taken, and other things that set forth the excellency of it : Thus, he that believes in Christ, loves to be consid- ering the excellency of Christ, and of his righteousness, feasting his eyes in beholding of him. Thus we arc commanded. to consider him, Heb. iii. 1. And this is the spirit of a believer. He is solacing and satisfying of 244 Jhe Safety of Appearing in Chap. IX. of his soul In the contemplation of Christ's righteousness | bis heart dwells in consideration thereof. An unbeliever stands poring upon his unworthiness ; thinking hovr many sins he has been guilty of ; what occasion of an- ger God ha* against him, discouraging his soul by mind- ing how unworthy he is ; and he is still harping upon the greatness of his provocations'. Bat a believer is of another spirit ; he is refreshing of his heart, by taking notice of the glorious excellency of Christ's righteous- ness and what wonderful security arises from thence. Sometimes he thinks how God chose this way of salva- tion before the foundation of the world. Sometimes how God has poured out his anger upon Christ : how their sins have been imputed unto Christ : how God reckons the sufferings of Chiist theirs : how this way of salvation was shadowed forth to the ancient church : hovr ilie people of God, of old, have placed their faith in the righteousness of Christ. There are a multitude of such considerations that the heart is dwelling upon, Cant. v. 10. % scq. " My beloved is white and ruddy, the chief- o to Christ ; and he is not fickle and inconstant ; repentance is hid from his eyes ; 1 John v. 9. " If we receive the witness of men, the witness of God is greater. " Why should I flight myself with appearances and uncertain reasonings ? why should I doubt, though the things are strange and won- derful ? though we cannot see the reason of these things, the word of God cannot fail ; we may venture our souls on it if they were more worth than d ihey are, Psal. xci. 4v 2 Tim. i. 12. 3. The heart fixes sometimes upon the sufficiency of Christ. That comes with mighty power upon the heart ; stilling accusations, dissipating fears, drawing the heart to rejoice in Christ ; Phil, iii. 10. " That I may know him and the power of his resurrection. " Sometimes the Lord fastens it on the heart, that Christ is the way that God has appointed unto life, Heb. x. 19, 20. Some- times that Christ has " borne our sins in his own body/' 1 Pet. ii. 24-. Sometimes that justice is satisfied, the law fully answered by Christ ; that God may, without any in- justice, pardon and save ; (Rom. iii. 26.) that the sacri- fice of Christ is acceptable unto God ; (Eph. v. 2.) that God has fully avenged himself pn Christ 5 (2 Cor. v. 23.) that Christ is our passover, the " Lamb slain from the foundation of the world ;" that all the families of the earth shall be blessed in him ; that he is our High Priest, bearing our names on his breast, in the most holy place. These, and scores of such considerations, which the Lord, at times, fastens on the hearts of his people, do wonder- fully help them to cast themselves upon Christ, giving him the glory of redeeming them ; Rev. v. 12, " Wor-- thy Chap. IX. the Righteousness of CHRIST. 251 thy is the Lamb that was slain, to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and stiengtb, and honor, and g;ory, andblessirg." Quest. 3 In what condiiimsdoes a believer thus exer- cise faith in Christ f Ans. 1. When he is more clearly satisfied in his own good estate. There are times w lien the people of' God have very comfortable satisfaction, that they are in a good condition ; they have comfortable hopes that they are in a state of justification ; (hat God has pardoned their sins, and will save them. These hopes arise from a discerning of their former actings of faith, their sanctification, and that joy in the Holy Ghost which they have had ; and, at such times as these, they do live a life of faith upon Christ. When they see their sanctification, they do not build upon that as the matter of their justification ; nei- ther do they so live upon any signs, as to live in the neg- lect of acting dependence on Christ ; though there is too much of that spirit to live upon signs, and to neglect Christ ; yet this spirit does not rule a saint ; but notwith- standing his hopes, he is venturing himself upon the free and gracious offers of the gospel : though he finds com- fort in those evidences, thai God gives him of his good estate, yet he is, from time to time, renewing his acts of dependence upon Christ ; Cant. ii. 3. " I sat under his shadow with great delight, and his fruit was sweet unto my tasie." 2. When he is more in the dark about his condition. There are times with many, atleasi, of the people of God, when they are greatly exercised with fears : there be i$2 The Safety of Appearing in Chap. IX. be many things that give occasion of fear to them ; they are afraid, because they see great workings of corrup- tions ; cannot discern love to God ; they do not find love to ordinances ; seem to grow w r orse and worse. So they are afraid, because they have not such comforts as other Christians have ; they do not find that presence of God with them, that they think they should have, if they were saints. Many temptations they meet wiihal, that shake their hopes exceedingly. But in this condition they do not neglect to believe in Chiist, though, when they are in the dark, they have great stragglings of unbelief ; but they do not cast oft' their faith in Cfirist. Their faith has not dependence upon their signs; when signs fail, yet the foundation of their faith remains. Though they see not, yet they do believe. At such a time it is .hen duty to believe. " When they are in darkness and have no light," their work is to " stay on the name of the Loi\i, J ' Isa. 1. 10. ; and this is their spirit. Saints " live by faith, and not by sight/' 2 Cor. v. 7. ; and though the) are at a loss what they are, and what they have done, yet they see ground of faith in Christ. Their reliance does not depend upon their assurance ; Psal. Ixxiii. 26. " My flesh and my heart faileth ; but God is the strength of my Jieart, and my portion forever." By this way of trial, we may conclude against three sorts of persons, that they hare not true faith. I. Such persons as satisfy themselves, that they have lelieved in Christ, and closed with him, sometime formerly and do not lire in a way of believing. They nourish an hope, because they have believed at such a time, .but neglect to roll themselves on Christ from time to time. So it is with some dry and unsavoury professors ; they have Chap. IX. tfie Righteousness of CHRIST. c '53 have got an hope from some old works they had upon their hearts many years since ; they trust they will carry them to heaven, and do not live a life of faith, but live in a wretched neglect ofChrist. Many times such men's religion is quite worn out by that lime they grow into )cars > and they are like" salt that has lost its savour/' Heb. iii. 14, 2. Such persons as generally live upon their own right- eousness f bin only now and then they/orce themselves to on Christ. The general way of their living, is upon their good frames and services ; but now and then they have a sermon against their trusting in their own right- eousness ; or, it is given as a sign of an hypocrite, to trust in his own duties ; and they set themselves to trust in Christ, and they think they do somewhat at it. But their way of living is upon themselves, and they are very- great strangers to Christ. This is not the guise of the people of God; Gal. ii. 20. " The life that I live in the flesh, I live by the faith of the Son of God." 3. Such persons as cannot venture upon Christ, when they arc in the dark abeut their estate. When- they think that they see signs that they a*e converted, (hen they can believe ; they are very forward : but, when in the dark^ no gospel encouragements will prevail upon them. A saint may find it very difficult at such a time ; but a false heart stays till he can discern some more hopes of his good condition, before he can believe : such a man does not live a life of faith. Before I pass this .way of trral,! shall answer some doubts fcbout it, that sometimes trouble uie people of God. Y Doubt 1 . -54- The Safety of Appearing in Chap. IX Doubt 1 . I fear I do not live a life of faith, because J find abundance of unbelief ; I am exceeding distrustful; see little as 1 ought to see of the excellency of Christ, of the stability of the covenant, or of the freeness of God's grace. Ans. It may be so, and jet your faiih may be right : there is a backwardness in sainls to believe ; Luke xxiv. 25, 26. " O fools, and slow of heart to believe." Saints have but a little faith ; they ihat have most, have but a little, Rev. iii. 8. This is the general complaint of ihe people of God ; and generally it is from faith, tha f they are burdened with unbelief. A spirit oi faith makes men qualified to discern their unbelief, and makes men see an heinous evil in it. Doubt 2. I fear I do not live a life of faith, because / am very ready to give way. to a spirit of carnal confidence : J am sure there is a great deal of false faith in me, if there be any stirrings of affection, lam ready to idolize them, And stay upon them. Ans. You may possibly think there is more carnal con- fidence working in you than there is. Hope of your good condition, should be strengthened by the sanctifying jfrt*//$ of the Spirit: ihey*are good signs. But I grant you are wont \obecarnaHyconfident; though your faith be of the right kind, and )ou live a life of faith, yet you will be troubled with a spirit of carnal confidence, as long as vou live ; Mat. xiii. 27. Prov. xxx. 6. Where the apostle says, " We have no confidence in the fle h," Phil. iii. 3. his meaning is not, that carnal confidence i$ wholly mortified ; but their doctrine was, that no confi- dence was to be in the flesh, and they allowed none. Doubt 3r Chap. IX. the Righteousness of CHRIST. 255 Doubt 3. I fear I do not live a life of faith, because my faith brings me in so little supplies of grace and com- fort ; God does not seem to own it. Ans. You gain considerably by your faith, if you gain this, to " be kept following of God," 1 Per. i. 5. You must not be discouraged, because God does not give you such signs as you desire ; John xx. 29. " Blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed." The measures of comfort that God gives to his people, are very various ; and sometimes God puts his people upon it, against hope to believe in hope : and that is a sign of a good faith, when a man sees but little coming, and )et will believe still; Rom. iv. 18. " Abraham, against hope, believed in hope." Doubt 4. / am afraid, because 1 am so lold to trust in, God from time to time, though 1 have so much sin ; / am afraid it is a lije of presumption, not faith. Ans. There is indeed a boldness to trust in God from conceits of mens worth, that is not right ; but there is a twofold boldness that God will never blame men for. One is, the bearing up of their heart with the hopes of God's favor, upon good expenence of it, notwithstanding sin. Only you must beware you do not make ;ight of sin, be- cause God has given you such hopes. The other is, a de- pending on Jesus Christ, for the pardon of sin ; and ac- cepting God's offer, notwithstanding your sins : yea, though you have not sucli brokenness of heart, as does become you ; -Heb. iv. 16. " Let us come boldly to the throne of grace/' 4. Try 2,56 Tlie Safety of Appearing fa Chap. IX. 4 Try the truth of your faith, by that HOLINESS lhat does accompam/ and flow from faith in Jesus Christ. They that are true believers, do lead an holy life. Ho- liness does accompany fauh ; and therefore believers are commonly, in Scripture, styled saints, 2 Cor. i. 1. There is a concatenation of graces. Where there is one grace, there h all. As it is in a natural man, all the natural faculties of the soul do accompany each other ; they live and die together ; so it is with several graces that are in saints; the same principle of grace, does enable the soul to all sorts of holy actions : Grace in the heart is but one principle, though, in respect of its various actings and objects, it does receive various denominations; and, wherever fauh is, it is accompanied with universal holi- ness. And, therefore, holiness is given as a sign and character of believers ; Gal. v. 24-. " They that are Christ's, have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts/' The actings of faith go hand in hand, with the exercise of other graces. Faith is always attended with universal holiness. Hence there are so many pr onuses of salvation made unto those that are holy. Though it be faith only that gives men a title to heaven, yet there are promises made unlo holiness, because that is a property of believers : And hence, also there are so many threaten- ing* unto those that live unholily ; Heb. xii. 14. " With, out holiness, no man shall see the Lord." And indeed holiness does not only accompany faith, but the exercise of it does flow from faith. Faith has a great influence into an holy life. The actings of faith upon the whole word of God, does greatly quicken a spirit of obe- dience. I* is a spirit of faith lhat makes all the argu- menls Ghap. IX. the Righteousness of CHRIST. 257 ments which the Scripture is. full of, to become powerful upon the heart. Whatever God proposes to us in his word, to make us obedient, it will not have that effect upon our heart, if it be not entertained by faith. Men believe commands, encouragements, threaienings ; and so they become efficacious upon the heart. The whole word of Gcd works on men, as it is entertained by faith. All grates are quickened, and diawn into exercise in this way. Men believe and hope ; they believe and love; they believe and repent. The will and affections never act in a gracious way,buf when the understanding discov- ers ground so to do. By faith we understand spiritual things ; and so our hearts are carried after them. What- ever grace is acted, faith is acfed together with it ; and, therefore, in the 1 lib to the Hebrews, whatever the pa- triarchs did and suffered for God, is ascribed to faith. But, as other actings of faith have an influence int* holiness, so, in a special mauner, the actings of faith up- on Jesus Christ. t( We are sanctified by faith in him/ 7 Acts xxvi. ] S. The peculiar actings of faith on Chrisf, have a special influence into an holy life i and that two ways : ] . The believing of the gospel, doe?, in its own nature, stir up men to holiness. When men, by faith, do enter- tain the calls of God, in the gospel, it has a strong im- pression on their hearts to move them to holiness, When men see the readiness of God to pardon them, the won- derful grace of God in the gospel ; it prevails with them to lead an holy Lfe ; Psal. xxvi. 23. " Thy loving kindness is before mine eyes, and I have walked in thy Y v truth." .2*58 y/te Safety of Appearing in Chap. IX, truth." The sense of the grace of God, apprehended by faith, makes men admire the glorious excellency of God, love God, fear to offend him ; troubled that they have grieved him and wronged him. The discoveries of gospel-grace, leave an everlasting impression upon the heart, to love and honor God. 2. The believing on Christ, is tlte way wherein God \\^ promised to carry on the work of sanctijication. In this way Gotf gives forth the assistances of his Spirit for the carrying on of this work. God in the invitations of the gospel, " calls us to glory and virtue/' 2 Pet. i. 3. Faith in Christ is the condition of the covenant of grace, and therefore, thereby Gcd becomes engaged to keep men in the ways of holiness. As all other covenant mercies are made over to the soul in this way ; so likewise sanctifying grace. And besides that God has directed us to exercise faith upon Christ for sanctification. He tells us, that 6( without him we can do nothing/' John xv. 5. ; that he is made to us " for sanctification," 1 Cor. i. SO. ; that whatever we do in word or deed, we must do all in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ/' Col. iii. 17. This is a principle means prescribed unto us in order to the carry- ing on of the work of sanctification. We must attend other appointments and ordinances cf God ; prayer, reading, hearing, sacraments, watching, meditating, fy sim. But we may not trust to any of our own strivings ; but especially attend this ordinance of the covenant of grace, to depend upon Christ, as being the purchaser and the dispenser of this blessing, wiating for the influence of his spirit ; and ia this way he assists and strengthen! Vis people to lead an holy life. FOF Chap. IX. the Righteousness of CHRIST. For the opening of this way of Uial, we may consider what an holy life is. It is a course of walking hi all Cod's commandments, from a gracious respect unto God. Here you may distinguish between a principle of holiness, an holy frame, an holy action, and an holy life. A princi- ple of holiness is a quality enabling and inclining a man to keep all God's commands, out of a gracious respect unto God. An holy frame is a raised, prevailing disposi- tion anto holiness ; by the habit, it is disposed to holi- ness ; by an holy frame, to a more ready and cheerful practice of holiness. When the heart is in an holy frame, it is like an instrument in tune, like a good knife that has a good edge. An holy action is an action commanded of God, done out of a. gracious respect unto God. An ho- ly life is a course of walking in all God's commands, from a gracious respect unto God. In this description, three things are to be minded, ] . That where there is an holy life, there is a walking in all God's commands. There may be a reformation of some particular sins, where there is not an holy life ; any one way of sin makes a man's life unholy. If men allow any way of disobedience, the life is not holy. In an holy life there is an abstaining from every known sin, and the pi actice of every known duty, Luke i. 6. "They were both righteous before God, walking in all the command- ments and ordinances of the Lord blameless." He that leads an holy life, does observe all those commands that directs his outward behaviour of himself; and he attends all those commands that direct the carriage and behaviour f the heart, Those commands that require internal duty, 260 Ths Safety of Appearing in Chap. IX. duty, love, fear, &c. and (hose that do require the right manner of doing his duty, doing of it for God's glory, do- ing of it in the name of Christ, doing of it with diligence, with delight. The casting off of any duty, makes the life unholy. The principle of grace that is in a saint, does both ena- ble and incline the. heart te keep all God's commands. There is no command given by God, but jhere is a suita- ble inclination in the heart of a saint onto it. There be in the heart of a saint some general inclinations toalL God's commands ; some inclinations that respect every one of God's precepts, that are principles of universal obedience ; and they are three, love to God fear of God, and fault in God ; these three influence a man to all that obedi- ence that God requires ; these incline the heart to do ev- ery thing that God requires. Hence, sometimes we read that love makes us keep God's commands, 1 John v. 3. So all religion is called (he fear of God ; because that in- fluences all, Isai. L. 10. So faith is a general principle of obedience, Heb. xi. 7, 8. And besides these, the re are in a godly man, more particular inclinations to the commands severally, which are not of such latitude ; these are the off-spring of the other. Thus patience inclines a man to keep some commands, temperance others, &o- iy other s,p% others ; 2 Pet. i. 5, 6. But this walking in all God's commands, does admit of divers degrees. All the people of God, in this life, fall short of perfection, and some fall far short of that perfec. tion that others do attain. Every one that is travelling in a path, do net travel with equal diligence and speed. St Chap. IX. the Righteousness of CHRIST. 16 1 So here, some are more dull, heedless and negligent, than others are. And many saints do fall short, in respect of some outward commands of some that are but natural men. But every ore must have such a measure of obe* dience to God's commands, as speaks faithfulness ; such as speaks a spirit of fear, fai-h and love. There must not be an heart allowance of any sin. The conscience of a nat- ural man may allow none ; but the heart and will of a saint does allow none. There are many sins which a Christian does commit often in a day, as the actings of unbelief, by-ends, worldly affections, and piide ; but yet he does not allow them, and his disallowance is seen in acts of hatred towards these sins, repenting of them, watching against them out of hatred, and by his performing contrary actions, namely, of humility, faith, &c. 2. Where ihere is an holy life, this walking in God's commands, is in a course. That is their way, and man- ner, and trade. Whatever exactness a man may have for afit, that will not denominate his life holy. He that leads an holy life, is in his ordinary course attending the rules of holiness, and that not only rules of external obedience, but alsoofz^erwa/; reaching after the glory of God, la- bouring to do duties with an upright heart, watchful a- gainst the secret motions of sin : Acts xxiv. 16. " And herein do I exercise myself, to have always a conscience void of offence towards God and towards man." Such persons as have pangs upon their hearts to walk in God's ways, and then leave off" again, are far from an holy life. That is the spirit of a wicked man, Psal. xxxvi. 31. 'He hath left off to be wise and to do good." None can 962 The Safety of Appearing in Chap. IX. can be said to live an holy life, but such as are in a course of practising the ways of God ; & it is thus where there is an inward principle of holiness. Though habitual holi- ness be not sufficient in order to the practice of holiness without divine assistance ; yet God's ordinary manner, is to assist all sorts of principles which he has put iivo his creatures ; ana he has promised also special assistance unto grace. So that they that have a principle cf grace, are walking in their ordinary course in ihe way of holi- ness, Prov. ii. 22. " That thou mayest walk in the way of good men." But though they that lead an holy life, keep God's commands in a course, vet they are guilty of continual smning against God. The corruption that is in the heart of a saint, is making continual opposition unto holiness.. As for ihe external part of if, many a man attends that, that has not a spark of grace ; and there is a great deal in a saint besides grace, that helps him to observe the out- ward part of hi* duty ; pride, covetousness, slavish fear, contribute much to that. But there is abundance of op- position to the mivard part of obedience, faith, love, &c. And though there be a course of holiness, and time after time an exercise of giace, yet it does not follow, that the inward actings of grace are more frequent than the ac- tings of corruption : wkhout question the case is far oth- erwise. Though grace, through the special- presence of God, n getting forward -, yet there are in the heart of a saint, abundance wore of the workings of pride fhan hu- unbelief < ban faith, earthliness than heavenlyrmind- . The best of the saints have but a little strength, Rev. lii. 8. Chap. IX. ihe Righteousness of CHRIST. 263 Rev. iii. 8. A saint commits a multitude of sins every clay ; and the actings of g^ace are few cam para, h ely. And besides ihis, though he that lead> an holy life, walks in Gods -command* in a course, yei he may have some special jits of sinning. As he that is wise, may in a fit cany himself very fuoli-hly, so lie lha* is godly, ma) in a fit carry himself very sinfully. A meek man may have a fii of passion a* Moses had ; and the,/#Mer of the faithful may have a fit of unbelief. There are sometimes, when go ly men have strong pangs of corruption, and sin does prevail not only over grace, but over conscience, and re- spect unto tkeir credit, and every thing that stands as an impediment in the way of it. Corruption may over- flow all its banks ; and for a time a good man may carry himself very badly. And some of the people of God have more of such distempered fits than others have ; and they do prevail to a greater height in some, than in others. But these are but fits ; the ordinary way of a sainc is a way of obedience. 3. Where there is an holy life, this course of walking la God's commands, is out ofo, gracious respect unto God. There be thousands of actions that are materially good, that are not formally so. If they be done merely from self-love, they are noi good. It is necessary ihat they be done out of a gracious respect unto God. I rather chose so to express ii, than to say they must be done for the glory of God, because there are some internal actings of g i ace, wherein the soul has no end. Thus when God draws the heart to love him, the man ha* no end. Thus when the Spirit ot God makes a man's hear? beak for sin he has no design in u ; when a man sets himself to mourn for 264 The Safety of Appearing in Chap. IX. for sin he has an end, but when ihe heart is grieved for sin, lie cannot help it. He ha-; no design in that, though he has a motive. And he ever ha- a gracious respect unto God ; the glorious excellency of God has an influence upon his heart. There are . Many men are terrified and scared into religion ; out of a spirit of fear, they reform and do duty ; but this is not real holiness. An enlightened conscience is not sufficient to make a man perform any one holy action. Though men abound in duties of religion, yet if it be not from a right motive, they have no faith ; for all their duties are but hypoc- risy. Not only when men make it their great end to get wealth and reputation, but when they make it their great end to get peace of conscience, deliverance from hell, and the joys of heaven : if such things as these be the great things that have an influence into noens reli- gion, God will not accept of it Faith makes men serve God from a " spirit of love," Gal. v. 9. " Faith which worketh by love/' Before I pass this way of trial, I shall answer some doubts that may arise in the hearts of the people ef God. Doubt 1. 2$8 The Safety of Appearing in @hap. IX* Doubt 1 . I fear whether I have any true holiness, be- cause I see such actings of corruption, as seem inconsistent with holiness and love to God. Ans. There may be such actings of corruption in a saint, as are inconsistent with the actual love of God ; but men are often mistaken, in thinking that sinful act- ings are not consistent with the habitual love of God. Many times a man sees such workings of grace, as seem to him inconsitent with such sinful inclinations as after- wards he finds in his heart ; so it is here : but there is no act of sin, (the sin against the Holy Ghost excepted), but is consistent with habitual grace. . Whatever lust is in the heart, it may be drawn into act, notwithstanding the being of grace. That grace that does not altogether destroy the disposition, cannot altogether hinder the working f it. There needs no more than the being of irrace, to hinder the workings of the vilest corruptions, Jonah iv. 9. Doubt 2. I fear > because in those conflicts that I have, sin gets the upper hand ; I set myself to carry patiently, and yet am carried away with impatience ; and 1 set my- self against such a temptation, and yet am outbid. Ans. They may be overcome in a particular skirmish, that may overcome in the war. A godly man is many times outbid in his conflicts with corruption, that argue* the weakness, not the total want of grace. Grace is sometimes under the hatches, corruption comes like a storm, and bears down all before it. Corruption does not only outbid conscience, but grace too. If a man throw a ball right forward, the strength of the bias car- ?ies it aside. Doubt 3. Chap. IX. the Righteousne ?s of CHRIST. 69 Doubt 3. I fear, became 1 find a spirit in, myself to seek my happiness in the world, and to mourn for affliction as the greatest evil. Ans. Every one that has any worldly love, and car- nal sorrow, has this spirit. Worldly love is not a lov- ing of the world only, but a loving of it more tha>i God. So, carnal sorrow, is not a mourning for afflic- tions, but a mourning for them as the greatest evil. He that is under the power of worldliness, has this spirit reigning in him : But godly men, so far as they are un- regener ate, and acted by a worldly spirit, do prefer the world above God, and make the world their God. The spirit of woildliness is to idolize the world. But not- withstanding this, you may love God above the world, and mourn for sin above any affliction. Though there be a spirit to prize the world above God, yet there may be another spirit in you to prize God above all things ; and where there is any degree of true love to God, there is a loving of God above all: the unregenerate part loves other things more than God ; the regenerate, loves God more than all othei things. Doubt 4. 7 jear, because 1 commit such sins soon a* gain, as I have beenmourningjor. Ans. It is true, that mourning for sin does mortify sin, and leave the heart more fortified against die temp- tation ; yet the same corruption is in the heart still. And sometimes that carnal confidence that grows upon mens mourning, does expose some to the same .sin. A man may do that many times that he hates, Rom. vii. 15. The'hearts even of godly men are extremely tainted with sin. Z z CHAP. X. Ihe Safety of Appearing in Chap. X. CHAP. X. USE III. Exhortation, To awakened Sinners, to believe on the Righteousness of CHRIST JESUS. USE III. IF it be safe appearing before God in the righteousness of Christ, here is ground of EXHORTATION to all such as are awakened to believe in this righteous" ness. Such sinners whose consciences are indeed awaken- ed, are deeply concerned how they shall appear be- fore God. While other men are busying themselves to get worldly comferts, seeking a felicity in this world, and casting off the care of their souls, you are making it your business to get into such a condition that you may be accepted with God ; that you may not mist ef eternal salvation. It is a matter of trembling to you, to think of being a cast-away ; you dread the thoughts cf damnation, and are willing to take any pains that you may avoid it. You have been labouring for peace, and cannot get it ; you have been searching for it as for hid treasures, but hitherto you have not obtained it ; you \vou1d fain be saved at last, whatever trouble you go through here ; though you should be poor in this world, afflicted all your days, if you might be saved, then you have your desire. Such persons are exhorted from hence to venture their souls upon the righteousness of Christ. It is natural to such men to seek help from their own righteousness ; but, beware of that ; many a soul has been lost in that way. That way of self -righteousness is sprinkled with the blood of souls. Many a man and woman have been undone in taking that by-path. As you Ghap. X. the Righteousness of CHRIST. 57 f you desire the welfare of your souls, come to, and ac- cept of Jesus Christ ; roll yourselves upon him, make him your stay and your refuge : " Flee for refuge to the hope set before you/* Heb. vi. 18. Despair of all other methods of salvation^ and trust alone in JESUS CHRIST : let fall all other pleas as such that can stand you in no stead, and venture the case of your soul upon this plea of Christ^ righteousness ; lay up all your hopes in Christ, have your whole dependence upon his right- eousness. Jesus Christ has made a complete purchase of salva- tion : He has bought off the guilt of sin, and has bought blessedness and life eternal for sinners. And God has stated this law of grace, that he that believes in Christ shall be saved by him. God has constituted a rule of for- giveness and saltation. God has constituted a new cove- nant, according to which he will dispense life unto sin- ners. He tenders a new covenant unto us, according t which we may receive justification from Christ's right- eousness. God tells us upon what terms we shall have life ; he has stated the method wherein he will bestow mercy ; he has laid out the way in the gospel, and de- elares that " whoever believe? on Christ shall have ev- erlasting life/' John iii. 16, 36. This is the only way wherein men shall receive salvation from Christ. If men come not to those term*?, they shall perish, notwith- standing the purchase of Christ. It is only in a way of believing, that men come to have any saving benefit by Christ ; believing in Christ is the condition of the coven- ant of grace. This is indeed a suitable way for our par- taking of the benefits of Christ. It is suitable that they should accept of the grace of Gd and righteousness of Christ, 272 The Safety of Appearing m Chap. X. Christ, that are saved by them. It is very meet that salvation should be in such a way, that the honour of God's grace and Christ's righteousness may be preserved. Yet the great reason of God's stating this way of salvation by faith, was his sovereign pleasure. There was no abso- lute necessity of this, that salvation by Christ should be obtained in a way of believing. Faith interests us in Christ, but it is not through any natural virtue in faith, butty the free constitution of God. The influence that faith has into our justification and salvation, is by God's appointment. God has voluntarily stated this of grace. There was no necessity that there should be any condi- ton at all laid upon us. God might, without the perform- ing of any condition, have justified us by Christ. As we were made sinners by the sin of Adam without our con- tent, so might we have been made righteous without our consent. Bat it pleases God to require a condition ; which seems to be, partly, that we may have salvation in the way of a covenant, which is for our comfort ; partly, to render them that refuse the condition the more inex- cusable. The pleasure f God is the reason that there was a condition, and likewise that faitk is the condition. If he had made love to himself, or sorrow for sin, the condition, that would have carried a face, as if justifica- tion were the reward of our works ; yet God might have done it, if he had pleased : but he has stated this law of grace, " that he that believeth on him, shall be saved," Acts x.43. " Whoever believeth on him shall have remis- sion of sins." This is the covenant of reconciliation. Therefore, as you do desire everlasting blessedness, ven- ture your souls upon the righteousness of Christ : this is a wav of safelv, * T > III Chap. X. tic "Righteousness of CHRIST. 73 In urging this exhortation, I shall, 1. Present some motives before you. 2. Mention some considerations farther to enforce those aiotives. 3. Answer such objections, as awakened sinners are wont to mak. 1 . One motive is, the great sin of rejecting of Christ, and not coming unto him. Men have reason to be af- raid to continue in unbelief, because there is so much sin and iniquity in it. Many awakened sinners, that do con- fess and bewail other sins, and speak of them with bitter- ness of spirit, do not ly under the sense of this sin ; here they are ready to excuse themselves, or justify themselves : they do not take the blame of their rejecting of Christ (* themselves : they plead for that, and vindicate themselves, as if it was not their fault ; as if they had not sufficient reason to believe. But herein you arc greatly mistaken. You look upon your unbelief to be your infirmity and ca- lamity ; but not your sin : this is a mere delusion, The professed rejecting of Christ, was that which filled up the measure of the Jews sins ; and the heart-rejecting of Christ, is sin ; John xvi. 9. " The comforter shall con- vince of sin, because they believe not in me/' And, though this heart rejecting of Christ be not a flagitious, yet it is a crying sin. You cannot anger God more by any thing, than by continuing in the neglect of Christ. This is the great controversy that God hath with sinners ; n ot that they have been guilty of these or those particu- lar transgressions,but that they abide in the reject ion of the gospel, 274- The Safety of Appearing in Chap, X. gospel. You may see the greatness of this sin, by the many rules that are broken by this sin, and by the fountain of it. I. Seethe greatness of the sin, by the many laws and rules that are broken by it. Men do violate many com- mandments at once in this sin ; it is a complicated iniqui- ty ; it is not a single sin, but many evils are twisted to- gether in it ; the rejecting of Christ crosses a great many rules ; men, by their unbelief, do cast abundance of dis- honour upon God, and lie in the breach of many precepts. There are many rules broken by this sin. For, I . You break that particular command, of believing in Christ. Believing in Christ, is not only according to ma- ny general rules,but there is a special command for it. We may not only argue this duty by consequence from some general precepts, but here is an express commandment for it ; it is, in terminis, required. As we are beseech ed to believe, and invited, so we are required ; John vi. 29. " This is the work of God, that we believe, on hiro whom he hath sent;" 1 John iii. 23. " Thi* is his com- mandmenr, that weshould believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ." So that, by neglecting to come to Christ, you break a plain express precept ; you carry contrary to the very letter of the word of God. If it were not so ex- pressly set down, there might be more pretence for cavil- ling ; you might have more to plead, that there was some mistake in mens arguing this to be a duty ; but now you do oppose a plain direct precept. What colour can men have to question, whether it be their duty, when it is set down in the Scipture in so many letters and syllables ? Some* Chap. X. the ' Righteousness of CHRIST. 275 Some awakened sinners that have 'reformed their former ways of sin, and taken up a course of religion, are apt to please themselves,that they do not live in any known sin ; whereas, they live all the while in the neglect of coming unto Christ : but how can you sooth up yourselves with this, when you neglect a plain and express command- ment ? . You deny to Jesus Christ the honour of his mediatorly office, and of that great sacrifice that he has offered up un- to God. God had made Christ Mediator ; he has com- mitted the work of reconciliation unto Christ : and Jesus Christ has undertaken it ; He was every may furnished for it, and has discharged it ; and, upon that account, he is worthy to be depended upon. Faith in him is an hon- or due to him ; Rev. v. 12. "Worthy is the Lamb that was slain/' &c. But, by your rejecting of him, you withhold that honour that belongs to him ; -you deny him the honor of having made satisfaction for sin. You should honor every one according to their desert ; but you cast contempt upon his sacrifice, as if it were not sufficient for you. You disparage him, when you are afraid to ven- ture upon him ; you cast great reflections, as if there were no such virtue in his death and righteousness, as is pre- tended : there is a great deal of despising of Christ. You belie him ; the language of unbelief is, that his blood is not precious ; that it does not cleanse from ail sin ; that his sacrifice is not pleasing unto God ; that the X5old he ten- ders will not make you rich ; that the white raiment he offers will not hide your shame ; thus Jesus is slighted and undervalued by every unbeliever ; they have low thoughts of Christ, and carry themselves accordingly. . You 7 8 The Safety of Appearing in Chap. X. 5. You act contrary to sclf-lcve It is every man's duty to love himself, and seek his own good. God com- mands men to prosecute their own good, in a way of sub- ordination to his glory. God allows no man to ruin him- felf, but requires them to seek their own welfare all their days, Mat. vi. 20. And indeed, whatever sin a man commits, he acts contrary to the rule of self-love ; all sin is hurtful, & not beneficial, to men ; but, in a peculiar man- ner, they act contrary io this rule in rejecting of Christ ; for therein they refuse a tinder of blessedness. God, in the gospel, is offering salvation unto them ; if they will but accept of Christ, they shall immediately be made heirs of blessedness ; so thai, in refusing Christ, they re- ject, at once, all fae glory of heaven, and the great fruits of Chrisi's purchase, dial they might injoy here in this world. They are enemies to themselves ; put away sal- va Jon from themselves. You act, in this thing, like a deadly enemy to your own soul. If a man that were poi- soned should refuse an antidote ; if he that was condemn- ed should refuse a pardon, would they not be therein en- emies to themselves f so are you in refusing Christ ; Prov. viii. 36. " All they that hate me, tove death." 6. "You hereby hinder yourselves from doing any thing that is good ; from doing any thing in obedience to God. By neglecting of Christ, you keep youselves in a way of disobedier.ee ; the rejecting of Christ, is the reason why you live an unspirilual life. Your neglecting to come to Christ, makes you neglect every othi-r spiritual duty. You may perform, indeed, many external duties and attain unto inward affections ; but you wi : l never do any duty in & spiritual an r l acceptable manner, until you come to Christ, Chap. X. tfi RighleottSKCSs of CHRIST. 273 Christ. Faiih in Chiist, is the first act of obedience that any sinner does perform. That man that dees not believe, does not love God ; mourn for sin aright, nor seek the glory of God. It " is faith that purifies the heart/' Acts xv. 9. It is by faith that a man first gives up him- self to be God's servant ; so that, by neglecting to be- lieve, you bring yourselves under necessity of neglecting every other spiritual duty. This is the reason that, what- ever )ou do in religion, is done in hypocrisy. 2. You may see the greatness of this sin, in not coining to Christ, from the fountain from whence it does proceed. In secure sinners, it flows nexily from a contempt of salva- tion ; their eyes are dazzled with the glory of the world ; they are insensible of eternal tilings : thy regard not the end, and therefore it is no wonder that they do not re- gard the means ; but, in awakened sinners, the neglect of coming to Christ, arisos from these two things : (1.) Pride. This way of salvation by Christ, does not suit their proud spirits. God has chosen such a way of lire, as suits his glorifying his grace ; but it does not suit with their haughty hearts. This way, wherein God car- ries away all the glory, does not please them ; and hence it is, that the) are striving, by a'l the ways they can de- vise, to find out some other method, wherein they may have salvation ; they do not like it, to be so much behold- en unto God, but would fain find something in them- selves to glory in : Hence they have an opposition of spir- it to coming unto Christ; John v. 40. "You will not come to me that you may have life." It is not merely from weakness, but from pride and slurdiness of spirit, that ll ey do riot come unto Christ. (2.) From 23(0 Ths Safety of Appearing in Chap. x'. (2.) From their not believing the testimony of God. He tells them plainly, that their is righteousness enough for them in Christ ; that, if they will come, they shall be sav- ed ; but (hey do nol lay weight upon the word of God. God's word does not remove their doubls ; they are not satisfied in the preciousness of Christ's righteousness, nor in the riches of God's grace, nor in the stability of the covenant ; they do not believe the report of the gospel, Isa. liii. ]. And hence they do not see their way clear ; they are afraid lo come to Christ ; they imagine it will be presumption ; they think it is a way to get a curse, and TiOl a blessing. 2. The next motive is, the certain ruin of all unbeliev- ers. There is nothing else, to be expected, if you con- tinue to reject Jesus Christ ; but to be destroyed forev- er ; the misery that will overtake you, is exceeding great. It is not poverty, sickness, disgrace, -temporal death: but somewhat ten thousand times worse than those : this is that, that the eternal state of your souls turns upon ; if you come not unto Christ, you will fall short of everlast- ing blessedness, and must lake up your abode among de- vils. You are now under a possibility of enjoying the presence of God, and dwelling in the highest heavens, in unspeakable joy and happiness ; but it is all lost and gone forever, if you give not entertainment to the invita- lions of the gospel ; and, after you have spent a few days in vanity, you must lie do&n in sorrow, and have your portion in the lowest hell. Death will deliver you into the hands of tormentors, and you shall have darkness without light, pain without ease, and sorrow without joy. It hnd been belter for you, if you had never been born j the Chap. X. the Righteousness of CHRIST. 2'31 the wralh of God will \y like a talent of lead upon your soul. You will have no friends to comfort ycu ; no worldly enjoyments to refresh you : no hopes to support you ; but set yourself to bear what you cannot bear, and to endure that which is intolerable. It may make ones flesh to tremble, to think what miseries some in this uoild have endured, from cruel enemies, and bloody persecu- tors ; but those miseries were but for a little time, and fell nextly upon the body ; and (hey are not to be com- pared wish those miseries that are reversed for unbeliev- ers in another world. Will it not be a dreadful thing to be separated from the joys of heaven, and that gloiious so- ciety that is ihere ? Will it not be dreadful to dwell with the devil and his angels f Will it not be dreadful to bs left to the 'error of a guilty conscience, the beginning* whereof here have made many men choose death rather than life ? will it not be dreadful to be filled brim-full with ihe fiery wrath of God ? to have every limb of thy body, ar.d faculty of thy soul, as full as it can hold of ihe indig- nation of ihe Almighty ? How loath will you be when it comes to, 10 enter into ihis condition ? Men would shrink into nothing, if it were possible ; terrors'will take hold up on them as waters ; they would fain escape out of ihe bands of revenging justice. How will you draw back, when you see yourselves upon the borders of destruction ^ Men would be glad that the rocks would fall upon them, and the hills cover them, so they might but escape. What will you thin!-; of it, -when the devil shall lay hold of you, to d/ag you down to Lell ? How will you cry out, when tumbling into the lake that burns willi fire ami brimstone ? What can comfort you in that condition ? Men take great delight herein their worldly enjoyment* A A 2 and ;jS2 'I he Safely of Appearing in Chap, X. and pleasures ; but what comfort will it be to have had good things, when they are tormented in this flame f Men comfort themselves here, that they have laid a foun- dation of worldly greatness for their children ; but what comfort will it be to them, to think that their children are eating and drinking, and sporting, when they are drinking the dregs of the wrath of God? and whatever honour their sons come to, tf their, flesh upon them shall have pain, and their soul within them shall mourn/' You have much to do now to bear any litile affliction, and how do you think to go through these calamiiies, where nothing will be moderate, where all evils shall fall upon you, and that in the extremity of them ? You will wring your hands, and tear your hair, and gnash your teeth, and curse your day, and fill hell with outcries and lamenta- tions ! This will be your portion, if you continue to reject Jesus Christ ; Luke xii. 46. " He shall ap- point him his portion with unbelievers." It is not a matter of probability, a thing only to be much suspected, but beyond all question, that^cw, even you, are a damned man, if you do not entertain the calls of the gospel. You are spending away your time in de- lays ; but you had need resolve the case ; if you refuse Christ, you choose misery, you choose death, you choose eternal damnation : stand out from Christ a litile longer, you are a gone man ! Men hope God will not be so hard io them as to damn them, especially considering the ser- vices they have done, and the pains they have taken in religion ; but there is one law for all men under the gos- pel. " He that believeth not shall be damned/' Mat. >;vi. 16. The unbeliever lies open to damnation on a lc account ; upon the account of his other sins, ami upon Chap. X. the Righteousness of CHRIST. 2S3 upon Ihe account of his unbelief; Heb. ii. 3. " How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation ? " Let mens other qualifications be what they will, yet, if "they believe not, the wrath of God abideth upon them/' John iii. 36. God threatens them in his word with ruin ; and those threatenings are absolute, such as bind him in faith- fulness to damn every unbeliever. There are many in- definite threatenings in the Scripture, and many condi- tional ; but these are absolute ones, against every one that continues in unbelief - t there is no possibility for them to escape. This appears, 1 . Because it is contrary to the decree and appointment" of God to save such as do not believe. The decrees of God are inviolable ; it is a vain thing for any man to look for salvation, contrary to God's decree. But it is against God's decree to save.unbelievers ; not that there is such a formal act in the decree, that unbelievers shall be dam* ned ; but this is a truth arising from the decree ; for God has determined to give faith unto all those that he has chosen unlo salvation ; he has determined to lead them in away of faith unto life ; Thess. ii. 13. " God has chosen you from the beginning unto salvation, through sanctification of the Spirit, and belief of the truth." A'l that God has chosen unto life, shall believe : John vi. 37. " All that the Father has given me, shall come unto me.'* So that ii is cross to the decree of God, to save any man that has not faith ; the decree of God is a bar in the way f his salvation. 2. Because faith is th e condition of the covenant of gfftCi 25 y The Safety of Appearing ia Chap. X. grace. There is one law for all men ; there is but ona condition of ihis covenant; John v. '24-. " He that hear- etli my words and believeth in him that sent me, hath everlasting life/' &c. We are directed to take this wny for salvation. There is no other way proposed, in case of a failure in this ; so that the want of this, must need, exclude men from the good of the covenant ; the want oi this condition renders men incapable of life. 3. Because it must be so injustice ; and God's heart is as much upon the glorifying of his justice, as his grace. One attribute is as due to him as another ; the glorifying of his justice is not a by-business, but a thing ihat his heart is deeply concerned in ; and justice requires the ru- in of unbelievers j for they deserve it ; Rom. vi. 23-. " The wages of sin is death." And there is no way for justice to be satisfied for their sins, but ly their ruin. 4. Because // is foretold and prophesied of, that Christ will destroy unbelievers, when he comes to judgment. The Scripture gives us an account beforehand, of the transactions of the day of judgment ; what will be the issue of things, and befall these and those in that day ; and God tells us, that unbelievers shall be ruined then. He does not only threaten them with ruin, but tells the saints that such persons shall be ruined ; 2 These, i. 7, 8. " He will take vengeance on them that obey not tLe gospel of Jesus Christ." Rev. xxi. 3. " The fearful and unbelieving shall have their part in the lake that burneth wiih fire and brimstone." 5. Because the sentence of (Jod in the gospel, is that which Chap. X. the Righteousness of CHRIST. 2,?5 which men shall le judged by. God declares, in the gos- pel, " that lie that believe; h no!, shall be damned. " And And if unbelievers be tried by this rule, (hey will cer- tainly perish : if God should try them by some other rule, they might fancy or imagine they might make a shift to escape ; but, by this rule, they are gone men ; and this is the rule they must be tried by. God will have no respect in that day unto mem riches, or learning, or esteem among men, or their civil or moral conversation ; but their case must be determined by the gospel; Rom. ii. 16, " God will judge ihe secrets of men, by Jesus Christ, according to my gospel." 6. Those that do not believe in Christ, have not those other qualifications that do accompany salvation. There be many other qualifications, besides faith, that God has promised salvation unto ; and some men that are under a conviction, that they have not faith, are pretenders to some of those qualifications ; but they do but flatter them- selves : when they come to be examined by God, they will be found destitute of all those holy qualifications. They make a shew of humility, patience, love to God,, regard to his glory ; but those shews are but delusions ; all the religion of tho?e men that have not faith, is hy- pocrisy. There may be. morality without faith, and strong religious affect ions ; but there is no sancUfication where there is no faiih : there may be the shadow of it, but not the thing itself ; Actsxxvi. IS. " Sanctified by faith that is in me." It is impossible for you to escape ruin, if you do not be- lieve ; and that is not all ; for your rejecting of Christ doe* t$G The Safety of Appearing in Chap, X. does not only expose you unto condemnation, but to a greater degree of misery, than multitudes will endure that go to hell. You may not think to escape as Heathens will do ; your load will be heavier, and your fire will be hotter, and your judgment every way sorer than ihe judgment of othei men. God vrill proportion every man's misery to his iniquity. And, as you have enjoyed greater light and love, so you must expect more amazing and exquisite wrath than other men ; conscience has more to accuse you of, and condemn you for, and so has God. And you will sink down deeper into hell than other men. You are treasuring up a greater measure of wrath than others, against the day of wrath. You have blessed God, it may be, many times for the means of grace that he has bestowed upon you ; but you will curse yourselves a thou- sand times more for not improving them ; you will wish that you had lived in the darkest corners of the earth, among Scythians and Barbarians. It will be a terror to you to think of your baptism, what books you have read, what Ministers you. have heard, what counsels have been given to you ; every sinner will be in a dreadful condition then ; but it will be more tolerable for many, than for you, Mat. xi. 22, 24-. 3. The third motive is, that you shall be accepted and sated, ij you will believe. Life and death are set before you, though you have been a grievous sinner; though you have hardened your heart against God a long while ; though you have rejected counsels, and despised reproof:?, and spent your days hitherto in sin, and travelled a great way in the path thai leads to death ; yet there is no ne- cessity of your damnation, you are capable of salvation still Chap. X. the Righteousness of CHRIST. 2S7 sti'l. If you will cast away yourself, by continuing in unbelief, you must bear it yourselves ; others that labored after your salvation, will do well enough, the loss will be your own* But there is no need of jour being ruined ; there isjetan open door, and liberty set before you, to enter into the most holy place ; if you will but accept of Ch list, you shall have salvation. You are crying out, " What must 1 do 10 be saved ?" You are not so solicit* ous for worldly enjoyments, but your care is to go to hea- ven ; and theie is reason for it. It is a glorious ihirg to see the face of God ; 10 be spectators of his glory: the glimpses of it here, are more refreshing than all ihe sweet- nesses of the world. To see God, Falhei, Son, and Holy Ghost, and all the attributes of God, is most de- lightful. If you go to heaven, (here you will have an unin- lerrupteci sight of God you shall see him as he is, and no clouds shall ever darken the light of his countenance : then you shall have the abiding sense of his love : never make any question about ii more, but be delighting there- in forever. Then you shall be delivered from sin, and made glorious, after the image of God. Then you shall be with Jesus Christ. Il is a comfort to hear of him ; but then you shall be in his presence : you have a fame of him now, but then you shall real in i:, and thai his spirit was deep- ly engaged : And thus it i* in tin - case ; God has been at great expense ; he has laid out himself more for the sal- vation of believers, *han no did -for the matiin* of the world. He has exercised much of his wisdom on this de- sign, much power ; yea, he gave his only begotten Son, tf that whoever believeth on him, might not perish, but have Chap. X. die Righteousness of CHRIST. 89 have everlasting life," John iii. 16. Must not his heait be much in it, when he gave his Son to die ? Could any thing have induced God to such a strange dispensation, had not the salvation of believers been a thing that his heart was resolved upon ? God ha>? by this given convic- tion to the world, that he is set to save believers. When we consider how many wonders God wrought in order to it ; how he sent his son from heaven, constituted him a Mediator, delivered him over unto death ; it may give us great satisfaction, that God is really bent to save them. Why should he go so far, if he did not intend to go through ? God that has spent so much for the salvation of believers will spend a little more to carry the work on to perfection. God loves his Son too much, to let him die in vain ; to put him to such sorrows, and then to let the design of all his sufferings fall to the ground. 2. God has promised Jesus Christ to save those that be- lieve on him. Christ Jesus did not die ai uncertaimies j the Father had engaged to him the salvation of believers. God covenanted with him, that multitude-; should be sav- ed by him, and that in a way of believing ; Isa. liii. 1 1. " By his knowledge, shall my righieous servant justify many ; for he sha'l bear their iniquities." And Jesus Chriss, in expectation of that, has laid down his life, and is wailing for the accomplishment of the promt e. Christ has taken God's word, and has paid the price of their sal- vation ; and God will not fail of his promise. This eter- nal transaction between the Faiher and the Son, puts the salvation of believers beyond all question. God stand-s engaged (o Christ, and Christ is r.et in his spirit to have, this engagement fulfilled unto every believer, Christ in B B not 290 j'lic Safety of appearing in Chap, X. not willing to lose one believer, but claims the prom- ise, and is set for their salvation ; John xvii. 20. " I pray for them also that shall believe on me through their \vord. J ' And what does he desire for them ? among other things, " that they may be where he is, to behold his glory," ver. 24-. 3. The Lord is persuading of you to Idler e in Christ. He is urging of you, and stirring of you up. This is the very design of the gospel, to gain men's consent to come to Christ. He invites you to come, Rev. xxii. 17, and is giving you an account what preparation he has made for your acceptance. He has appointed the ordinance of the ministry upon this design, to draw you to Christ, and makeup the match between you and Christ, 2 Cor. v. 20. Yea, upon this account, he sends his spir- it into your hearts, to terrify you, to mind you of your dy- ing day, of eternal judgment, of the sinfulness of your lives and hearts, that you may be compelled to come away to Christ ; that }ou may not be able to rest without him. And why should God concern himself so to persuade you tobelieve,:if this were not a way of salvation ? What de- sign can God have upon his heart in these works of his, but to save yo.u, if you will hearken unto his voice ? Why does God take so much pains about this, if the life of your souls did not depend upon it ? Would God strive so to bring you to Christ* if you would not be the better for coming unto him ? Certainly God lays extraordinary weight upon it, and is deeply engaged in it, to bring you unto Christ ? and would he be so, if it were not a way of life and blessedness ? God would let men alone, and never busy himself so to persuade them to believe in Christ, Chap. X. the Righteousness of CHRIST. 291 Christ, if the life of their souls did not depend upon it t It would not be worth the while, for God, vviih a great deal of care, and by many wonderful works of his Spirit, 10 bring men to believe, if this were not the way of salva- tion. It would not become the wisdom and goodness of God, to labour in this manner to persuade men to believe, if this were not the way of life. 4. God promises salvation to you, if you will believe. Goa is not at liberty to accept or reject you ; but he has brought himself under bonds, and entered into a solemn covenant to save you, if you come to Christ. He has made a firm engagement, without any exceptions, con- ditions, reservations, to bestow salvation upon you. That he might put the thing without doubt, he has given you his word, that he will save you. You conclude, that if you continue in this condition, wherein you are, you shall be damned, because God threatens you so : and may >ou not with as good ground conclude, that, if you believe you shall be saved, because God hath promised you so ? He has not only promised eternal life to those that are already believers, but he has promised it unto you, upon condition that you wi'l believe ; Acts x. 43. " Whoever believeth on him, shall receive remission of sins." God has given you Ihe assurance of his word ; his actions do speak this to be his design ; but by his word he has engaged his faithfulness to you. The holiness and fidelity of God, and the care he has for his own honour, stand security for your salvation, if you come to Christ. In this promise, you may see the condescending grace of God, how willing he is to salisfy )ou; and the firm ground 292 Ike Safety of Appearing in Chap. X. ground you have (o go upon, in coming to Christ for sal- vation ; you have trie word of God to bear you out. % 5. God Las many ways confirmed and strengthened his promise. Not but that his bare word is security enough, but because men have distrustful hearts, and are full of surmises and jealousies ; he has given abundant securily to us of the stability of \\h promise, he has given it under iiis hand ; we have his word to shew for it ; he has made a firm indenture, subscribed and recorded it. He has not only spoken it by word of mouth, but has made a firm deed, ZK& published it under his hand ; and millions of men can witness to it, that he has bound himself to save those that come to Christ ; 1 John v. 11. " This is the record, that God hath given us eternal life ; and this life is in his Son/' He has also established his promise by seal" ing to it. Circumcision was the seal of the righteousness of faiih, Rom. iv. 11. Men seal indentures, to shew the reality of their purpose, and to make their promise legally more firm : So God ha?, by ihe sacraments in the Old Testament, and by baptism, and \\\z Lord's Supper in the New Testament, sealed to the covenant ; and ratified the same by holy ordinances, that would be prophaned, if the covenant should fail. God has also sworn to the coven- ant of grace. It had been unreap.onble for us to have de- sired such a confirmation from God ; but God voluntari- ly condescended lo is, to gain our belief, Heb. vi. 17. 1 8. that we might have strong consolation. The oath of God does declare the promise to be irrevocable, and that God will not repent ; Psal. ex. 4. " The Lord hath sworn, and will not repent/' God has given you all manner Ghap. X. - the Righteousness of CHRIST. manner of encouragement, that you may evidently see an bility of failing of salvation, if you come lo Christ. 6. God has made Jesus Christ the Judge of the world. He has appointed him io lake the examination of men, and to give sentence upon them. He has promised Christ, that believers shall be saved ; and he has put power into the hands of Christ, to see the thing accom- plished, and leaves the managing of the great day of judgment to him ; Actsxvii. 31. " He will judge the world in righteousness, by that man whom he halh or- dained." And certainly Jesus Christ will not suffer any to perish that come to him. Christ has died for the sa!- vaiion of believers ; and how can it be imagined but he w ill adjudge them unto life ? Christ/s righteousness can- not but be a good plea in the day of judgment, where Christ is the Judge. Those that have an interest in the righteousness of Christ, shall pass without exception in that day. He will be as ready to acquit them in the day of judgment, as he was before to die for them. Christ Jesus has a deep sen?e of the virtue and worthiness of his death and obedience, and will be ready to accept of. }ou on that account, Heb. ix. 23. 2. I shall add some considerations, further, to enforce these motives. 1 . Many othtrs do venture their souls on Christ. The persuasions of the gospel have prevailed upon many. There be thousands of men and women that have relin- quished all other hopes, and have built upcn this founda- tion ; many others have hearkened unto God 5 and it is a shame lo you io be more backward unto duty than other*, B B 2 There r J9* T/te Safety of Appearing ie Chap. X. There are a cloud of witnesses that have gone before you in other ages, and many, at this day, thai betake them- selves unto Christ for refuge. Others that have been try- ing all conclusions and turning every stone, have at last seen a necessity to come unto Christ. Others have been satisfied with the encouragements that God has given, and have taken sanctuary in Christ. Men of judgment and prudence, not subject to be led by fancies and delu- sions more than other men, have let go all carnal confi- dences, and fled to this hope set before them : and this they have done, not once or twice in an hurry of temp- tation, but they live in this way ; " I live by failh in the Son of God/' GaL ii. 20. Their coming unto Christ ii no rash inconsiderate act ; but, after they have had the consideration of it many years, have weighed it, and pondered it, looked on all sides, and considered all that can be said, they do not see cause to repent, but continue to believe ; it is no unadvised act, they understand what they do, 2 Tim. i. 12. ; and the longer they live they are more established in a way of believing. God's dispensa- tions towards them, since their coming unto Christ, are not such as do discourage them, but they are more en- couraged still to commit themselves unto Christ. Why do not you come also unto Christ ? Melhinks you should be ashamed to be listening unto carnal reasoning, and giving way to the pride of your hearts, when others have overcome them ; methinks it should stir up a spirit of fear, to see others getting into the way of salvation, and you left behind, to be a prey to devils ! Think what your sins have been ; what inward workings have been in your heart ; and you must say you have as much need of Christ as other men, Think what the call of God is,' how Chap. X. ' (he Righteousness of CHRIST. $$&. how free and full the invitation is ; and you must say you have as much encouragement to come to Christ, as other men : and others that love their souls, as well as you do yours, have ventured them in the hands of Jesus Christ ; and do you not think that it will be hard for you to sec others stand at the right hand of Christ another day, and yourselves rejected ? 2. You must never expect inward peace and quietnest, unlessyou come unto Christ. You complain now, in the bitterness of your sou!*, what a sorrowful life you lead ; you find little comfort in any thing ; you are so terrifi- ed with a guiliy conscience, that it eats out the comfort of your life. te A dreadful sound is in his ears," Job xv. 21. You are under such apprehensions of the an- ger ok God, that you know not how to bear it. When you hear or read the threatenings ofjudgment,ycu are ter- rified that that will be yourporiion ; when you see instan- ces of judgment, you are afraid that God will do so with you ; leave you to such and such sins ; bring such and such calamities upon you : your heart is meditating ter- ror, affrighted with the thoughts of damnation. Ser- mons terrify you, providences terrify you, your heart is always loaded ; the way to have inward peace and quiet- ness, is to come to Jesus Christ; Rom. v. 1. "Being jsutified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ/' But until you come to Christ, you must never expect to be better. You may have a pleas- ing dream, it may be, for a while, and your wound may be skinned over ; but you must not expect (o have any true peace, so long as you stand at a distance from Chsist. What peace can men expect, while their sins are 296- The Safety of Appearing in Chap. X. ore not pardoned ? What peace can men enjoy, as long as God is angry ? You must expect no oilier but to spend your days in i-anify, and your years in trouble, it' you give not entertainment umo Christ. " Through fear of death they were ail iheir lifetime subject unto bondage," Heb. ii. 15. The venom of sin will be burning in your bowels, until you look unto the brazen serpent. And what madness is it for men needlessly to live a tormented life ? Are you not weary of this condition ? Have you a mind to live in sorrow longer ? Do not you care to be delivered from your fears ? Thou wilt never have peace without coming unto Chrirt. You have tried a great while in vain, and it will be in vain still ; but, if you will give entertainment unto him, his blood will heal your conscience, scatter fears, and refresh your hearts. " The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law ; but thanks be to God that giveth the victory, through Jesus Christ our Lord." 3. If you do not come to Christ,, you ivill lose all the pains that you have taken in religion. You had need be careful, that you lose not the things that you have wrought. The labour that you have taken in religion is all lost with respect unto some expectations of yours therefrom ; as, to the mortifying of sin thereby, the get- ting of the good will of God, the purchasing of pardon, #c. And if you do come to Christ, you must see it to be lost in this respect ; Phil. iii. 7. " But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ." But yet in some respect, the pains you have taken, may be of advantage unto you,. inasmuch as you are nearer to ialvaiion than before you began to seek after God. You Chap. X. the Righteousness of CHRIST. 9f have been travelling in the way towards heaven. Some men are nearer the kingdom of God a great deal than others, Mat. xii. 3k " Thou art not far from the king dom of God." You have been taking a great deal of pains, have withstood temptations, have got much knowledge, have broken off jour sinful praclices, come to understand somewhat of the plague of your cwm hearts : you have got over many bars that lay in the way of your salvation ; you have escaped many rocks, upon which some souls have split in pieces : are in a fairer way to get to heaven than you were some time since ; and it would be sad to perish upon the borders of Canaan, after sore travel in the wilderness ; to sink at the mouth of the harbour, after you have rode out many storms ; to lose all your care and labour and sorrows, after all to go down to hell, among those that never took any pains for salvations ; and this you will certainly do, if you do not come to Christ. Though you are past the strait gate of reformation, yet if you do not enter and go through the gate of humiliation and faith, if you do not cast away your carnal confidences, you will not enter into life. When the Galatians were carried away wilh o- pinions of their own righteousness, Paul says to them, " Have you suffered so many things in vain if it be yet in vain ?" Gal. iii. 4. All your labour will be in vain, and your souls will be lost, if you come not to Christ. 4. You will exceedingly bewail it hereafter t if you do not accept of Christ. You will rue it in another world. You stand upon frivolous objections, and neglect to come unto Christ. But this will cost you many a tear ; you are preparing sorrow for yourselves. Your hearts will break The Safety of Appearing in Chap. X. break hereafter, to think what you have done ; when you see how you have ruined yourselves, you will take up a bitter lamentation. It will make your heart break,. to think that there was but a step between you and life, and yet you missed it : that you have thrown away your souh, and needlessly damned yourselves : that you were under fair opportunities, and brought to the very gate of heaven, and yet would not go in. When you see others that lived in the same town, or dwelt under the same roof with yourselves, in glory ; how bitter will it be to think that you have heard the same strmons, enjoyed the same advantages, but, by unbelief, have deprived yourselves of "what they do enjov ? When you think of it, how you took it into consideration, and were advising about it, had many thoughts about coming unto Christ ; how bitter will it be to you to think, that you did not go through with it, that you minded it by halves, and did not make up the match with Christ ; When you think how plain the way is, how fair the term?, what assurance God gave you ; it will be like ihegall of asps within you, to remem- ber how you cavilled, what excuses you made, what fri- volous things you stood upon, what objections you turn- ed off the calls of the gospel by. The reflections up- on your unbelief, will be bitter reflections another day! When you see the end of it, what it brings you to, what it costs,you will grievously lament it ; and say, as Prov.v. 12. 13. " How have I hated instruction, and my heart despised reproof ? I have not obeyed the voice of my teachers, nor inclined mine ear to them that instructed me." *. Others mil rejoice in ii, if you come to Christ. * Your Chap. X. the Righteousness of CHRIST. 299 Your unbelief is a grief of heart to many that seek your good. Paul had great heaviness and continual sorrow in his heart upon this account, respecting hi countrymen, Rom. ix. 2. and Jesus Christ wept over Jerusalem, be- cause she knew not the things of her peace. And it is one of the great burdens of the people of God, that so many among whom they live, do reject the calls of the gospel. Bui if you would give entertainment to it, it would be a matter of joy to many a one. You would be glad yourself ; you would have peace and joy in believ- ing ; and others would be glad with you : for it is a tok- en of the presence of God, and a means of your salvation, a means to strengthen and continue the kingdom of God, Your godly relations would rejoice, Prov. xxiii. 15. " My son, if ihy heart be wise, my heart shall rejoice, even mine." It will be a more joyful day to them, than the day of your birth. And ministers that have travailed in painfory^u, will rejoice when Christ is formed in you. Yea, Jesus Christ rejoices greatly, when a sinner is brought home to him ; it is the day of espousals, and therefore the day of the gladness of his hsart. When he sees souls brought home to him, when he sees the fruit of his sorrows, the travail of his sold, he is satisfied; in this day of victory Christ triumphs. Heaven and earth will rejoice at it, if you will entertain the calls of the gospel, Luke xv. 10. " There is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteih." ' God himself takes delight in it ; there will be repining in hell, but joy in heaven, if you come to Christ. 6. // is from the practice qf Satan, that you are so back* ward to come. Not but that there is an enmity in you r owi; 3Q The Safety of Appearing in Chap, X* own hearts (o the entertaining of Jesus Christ, but the opposition of your heart is much strengthened by the counsels of the Devil ; the Devil, out of enmity to God, and Jesus Christ, and mankind, is labouring to hinder the efficacy of the gospel ; he is heightening those corrupt principles hat are in men, and dissuading of ihem from entertaining of the gospel. Satan has abundance of de- vices to hinder the reception of the gospel. Men are ready to think that the} do act their own judgment in standing off from Christ, and are not aware of the activi- ty of Satan in it ; he suggests his reasonings as if they were the motions of men's own hearts ; but their opposi- tion to the gospel does arise from him, 2 Cor. iv. 4'. " The God of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them." The Devil is blinding them by false reasonings, by instil- ling discouragements and presumptuous conclusions : and will you offer to go abreast against the counsel of God, and take the Devil's counsel ? What can men ex- pect to find but deceit in following his suggestions ? Men have little cause to lay weight on those carnal reasonings that rise up in them^considering from whence they come. Will God give 3 ou counsel for your hurt? Will Satan give you counsel for your good ? Whither will that path lead you, that Satan does direct you to ? Is it sate to fol- low his counsels ? Dare you venture your souls in a way that he prescribes ? What is to be expected from him that is en enemy to God and you, but that he will dis- honor God, ruin you, if it be possible ? Hearken not any longer to him ; but take his advice, upon whose wisdon, love C h ap . X . the Righteousness of C n R r s r . 301 love and faithfulness you may resf, Rev. iii. IS. "I counsel ihee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich, and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed/' 3. I shall answer such objections as awakened sinners are went to make. Object 1. Jf ministers did know how bad 1 were, they would not encourage me to come unto Christ. They arc charitable men and do not imagine how bad / am ; what sins 1 have committed, what neglects 1 have lived in, what desperate risings have been in my heart ; if they did they would not invite me to come to Christ. Ans. 1. Ministers do know what is in your heart; though ihey do not know what actual transgressions in particular you have been guilty of ; how your corrupt inclinations have wrought : yet they do know what sinful inclinations are in your heart, and a great deal better than you do yourselves. They understand the state of man by nature, and how the heart is wont to work under diverse dispen- sations. You do not see so much of your own badness as they can tell you of; yet that does not discourage them. 2. How badsoever you are, or have been, they have a sufficient warrant for encouraging of you to believe. They are not concerned to inquire how bad men have been ; un- less they know you to beguiliy of the unpardonable sin, they have ground to encourage you to come to Christ. If you were worse than you are, you are included in the call of the gospel. Jesus Christ himself preached the gospel in great assemblies, and oiiered salvation to any C c that 302 TheSaftiy of Appearing in Chap, X. th^t would accept of it, Mat. iv. 23. And helms com- manded his ministers to preach it unto you, Maik xvi. 15. " Go into all the world, and preach the gospel to ev- ery creature ;" that i<, every hurran creature. Minis- ters have as good a warrant to preach it to them that are, or have been profane, as to those that have lived a civil life; to those that have had more violent workings of corruptions, as to those that have been more restrained. The promise of the gospel is universal, it is not limited to such or such sinners, but it comprehends you as well as others, John iii. 16. If the minister did know* all the sins that you have been guilty of from your childhood to this day, he could not with a good conscience neglect to bffer salvation unto you. Object, 2. I am so bad, that I fear God cannot be wil- ling to shew mercy unto me ; it seems that God must needs loath me, and his heart is turned away from me. Ans. Such reasonings are but the conjectures of mens hearts, who are ignorant of God. There is no foundation in the word of God for such thoughts j they are but the imaginations of men who know not God. God can find in his heart to shew mercy to whom he ' pleaseth. He could shew mercy to devils, if he would. There is nothing in him to restrain the exercise of grace but his own pleasure. For, 1 . There is nothing in God to compel him to destroy the sinner. What should force God to damn you ? If you be never so bad, yet God is not necessitated to reject you. His holiness does not compel him : the holiness of God is no impediment to the exercising of pardoning grace. Chap. X. ilic Righteousness of CHRIST. 305 grace. There is a scripture that looks that way, Joshua xxiv. 19. " Ye cannot serve the Lord, for he is an holy God; he is a jealous God, lie will not forgive your transgressions, nor your sins." But the meaning of it is, that they were such a perverse people that they could not serve God so, but that they would bring his judgments on them ; for he is so holy as that he will punish his visi- " ble people while they go on in ways of degeneracy. But his holiness and hi* grace do not thwart one another ; for it is no prejudice to the interest of holiness, that God pardons great sinners ; for when God pardons, he sancti- fies too; 1 Cor. vi. 11. Neither is the justice of God any hinderance to the exercise of pardoning mercy. Justice forbids pardon without satisfaction made, but not if there be satisfaction ; if the law, which is the rule of justice, be attended to, there is nothing contrary to the justice of God. The law makes no distinction be- tween great and little sinners ; great ones are capable of pardon as well as others, if there be satisfaction. The law admits of the pardon of no sin wilhcut satisfaction, but it admits of the pardon of any sin, if there be sails* faction. Neither does God's care of his glory hinder him from pardoning of great sinners, /or he can turn that to the advantage of his glory. The pardoning of such is greatly subservient unto that design, Eph. i. 7. 2. There is mercy enough in God for the pardoning of your sins, be they never so great. God's nature is of infinite and unlimited perfection : there is an infinite ocean of grace in the heart of God. It is not possible for man to commit such sins that God should not be able to pardon them. God is of such mercy, (hat lie can do any 304 Jlie Safety of Appearing in Chap. X. any thing that is an act of mercy. As there is nothing loo hard for the power of God, so there is nothing too hard for the mercy of God.. And certainly sinners have little reason to object that God cannot find in his heart to pardon them, when he has found in his heart (o pro- vide a sufficient sacrifice for them ; when he has found in his heart to offer them pardon ; when he has found in his heart to pardon others, as great sinners as they. Object. 3. God i* exceeding angry with me ; Tie is in his providences testifying against me ; and Jills me with tcirors ; and though I cry to him, he does not regard my therefore 1 am afraid to believe. Ans. 1. The great thing that God is angry with you for, is your unbelief. The despising of the gospel, is the great provoking sin ; that was it that greatly provok- ed God against ihejtws, Horn. xi. 20. "They were broken off by unbelief." And this should put you upon it to make hast to Christ, that you may not provoke him more to anger against you : the longer you live in unbe* belief, the more angry God will be. 2. Anger in God is not a passion as it is in men. God is not capable of being angry after that manner that men are angry. Men are so angry sometimes, that they cannot forget an injury ; they are quite overruled wilh this passion ; passion masters them, they are in servitude to it. But God is not passionate, he is never transported with anger ; anger is but figuratively applied unto God; it notes his will to punish and chasten men for their sins ; but in men, it is a violent affection, that many times they cannot restrain. 3. When Chap. X. the Righteousness of CHRIST. 30.5 3. When God is very angry, yet it is safe venturing upon Christ. If you come to Christ, God will not reject vou, though he be very angry. This is the way pro- posed by himself for the removing of his anger. Though he bo angry,, yet he is ready to pardon in a way of be- lieving : He is never so angry as to reject tho?e that come unto Christ. When grievously provoked, yet he has a pardon in his hand to bestow upon all that will accept of it. There is encouragement enough in the gos- 'pel to make you with joy to rely upon a provoked God. He assures you, in this way you shall be forgiven: though he be angry, yet he will not forget his prom- ises that he has made unto returning sinners, Jer. iii. 22, Object. 4*. God threatens such as I am, peremptorily with ruin ; Prov. xxix. 1. He that being ofien reprov- ed, hardeneth his neck, shall suddenly be destroyed, and that without remedy*. And .therefore I am afraid G 9(1 will not accept me,. Ans. Such threatenings as this are only declarations of what God does oftentimes do. There are some threaten- ings that are absolute ; wherein God does absolutely declare what he will do ; such are the threatenings of ruin for final impenitency and unbelief. But many other threatenings are but declarations of what God oftentimes does, and, in their applica! ion to particular persons, are to be understood with a condition ; according (o that rule, Jer, xviii. 7, 8. So that such persons may be sav- ed, if they do repent. This is evident, not only from the many invitations in the Scripture, that reach and C c 2 comprehend. 30S Tfie Safely of Appearing in Chap. X. comprehend such sinners as well as others ; but from hence also, thai the generality of those whom the Lord accepts, have been guilty of rejecting many reproofs ; (he generality of the saints have lived to mens and \vo- rnens estate;, under means, before they yielded any real obedience unto god : therefore this threatening cannot bs understood of the certain ruin of all that have harden- ed their necks after many reproofs. If you be of (his number, there is free liberty and good encouragement for you to come to Christ notwithstanding. O bj ect . 5 . But I am afra id that God has given me up to judicial hardness of heart, that he has taken his Spirit away from ?ne ; and if so, he does not intend me in the call of the gospel. Ans. 1 . There is an hardness of heart that is not ju- dicial. Indeed, every man by nature is under the pow- er of an hard heart. There may be abundance of hard- heartedness in you, though no judicial hardness. There may be some legal softness, and tenderness, and relent- in*, where there is judicial hardness, as it was with Pharaoh. So there may be hardness where there is no judicial hardness. This is an evidence of it, because God promises them to take away the hardness of their hearts ; Ezek. xi. 19. " 1 will take the heart of stone out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh." 2. Many others have feared that they have been judi- cially hardened, that have afterwards been converted. They that are judicially hardened, do not use to be per-, plexed wilh this fear. The judgment itself is wont to Chap. X. the Righteousness a/CftnrsT. S9 deliver them from fears of this kind ; but it is a. fre- quent thing for souls under trouble to be afraid of this ; others have seen afterwards that they have beerrmistaken, and so may you. 3. The reasons why persons under the work of con- version, fear that they are given up to hardness, and that the Spirit of God has forsaken them, is, because the Spir- it does after a while change its way of working. When the Spirit begins to work upon ihem, his manner is to discover their danger, and after a while to give them some encouragement, whereby they come to have strong affections, sorrow, desire, delight ; and now they are easily persuaded that the Spirit is at work with them, and do not leok upon themselves haidened' ; but after a while, when these affections fail them, and they find themselves dull and senseless, now they are afraid that the Spirit has left them. Whereas the reason is, the Spirit has changed his work, and is about 10 shew them what hearts they have, in order to the work of humilia- tion. If men could maintain their live'y affections, they would never come to Christ ; therefore the Spirit of God does leave them unto, and lead them into an experi- mental knowledge of the hardness of their hearts. So that this is no sign of the Spirit's leaving you, but an effect x)f the presence of the Spirit. Hi* manner is 10 convince men that they are poor and wretched, and Mind and miserable, F\.cv* in. 17. 4-. The conditional offer of tltt gospel is made to you f how hard soever your heart is. You are calK you will accept, you shal. be saved. Go ; - that come to him by Christ. Do yen oel, and 303 7 he Safety oj Appearing in Chap. X-. and God will never object your hard-hear-tedness against you. He never turned any away, because their hearts were had: Come to him and he will give you pardon, and a soft heart too. Object. 6. I am afraid I have committed that sin for which there is no sacrifice. It is said, if we sin wilfully, after we have received the knowledg of the (ruth, there remaine h no more sacrifice for sin ; Heb. x. 26. And I am afraid it is so with me, for I have had great en- lightenings ; and since I have been enlightened,. I have been guilty of a great deal of rebellion aginst God f and have felt the workings of enmity to God in my heart ; and if so, it is a vain thing for me to came to Christ ; he was not sacrificed for such. Ans. For the answering of this, doubt, I shall open this Scripture to you, and shew you what is meant by sinning, and by wilful sinning 1. By sinning here is not meant any sort cf sin, but some special sin; particularly the sin of apostasy, and renouncing of the gospel. This is evident, because this sin is that which he speaks of in the verse- immediately preceding : there he speaks of mens casting off their Christian society, and therewith the profession of the {ruth ; which is the thing he dissuades from in this verse. And he evidently speaks of apostasy when he comes tq explain his meaning more fully ; ver. 29. he calls this sin a treading underfoot the Son of God, &c. Besides, the same apostle speaking of the Fame sin, Heb. vi. G. calls \t *all*igaivay, - - By Chap. X. the Righteousness of CHRIST. 309 2. By sinning or apostatizing wilfully, we are to un- derstand a malicious apostacy. The word indeed does signify willingly : but it also signifies spitefully or mali- ciously, or, as in our version, wilfully. There are three ways that men may apostatize from the profession of the gospel. They may do it ignorantly : when men are blinded by the arguments of heretics. They may do it against their light, through a spirit of fear, as some gooa men have done, and many others that have not sin- ned unpardonably. In time of persecution, many have, through weakness, denied the gospel. They may do it spitefully and maliciously ; that is here intended ; for they are said, ver. 29. " to do despite to the spirit of grace." By this you may see, that though there have been many backslidings after your illumination, though you have had a stubborn and rebellious hearl, yet you may be free from the sin here intended, and have opportunity to come with . acceptance unto Christ. Object. 7. 1 have not the qualifications that are men- tioned sometimes in the invitation of the gospel ; as Isaiah Iv. 1 . " Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters." Mat. xi. 28. " Come unto me, ail ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest." Therefore, 1 fear I am not invited. Ans. 1. Seme persons have these qualifications, that fear they have not. Some men think they are not athirst, be- cause they do not find longing desire after Christ ; their hearts are dead and senseless ; they do not find any love unto Christ : But souh may be said to be alhirst, when , they are in want of refreshing; when their souls are parched under the sense of God's anger, their hearts are; ready 3] 6 The Safety of Appearing 'in Chap. X". ready (o fail for want of comfort. So they think they are not heazy laden, because sin is not such a burden to them as it should be ; because they have not an heart ta rnourn for sin : but there is no man can mourn ior sin a- right, until he has closed with Christ, But you are hea- vy laden, if the anger of God, and your danger do load you ; and you cannot find any means in yourselves to ease you of your burden, Acts xvi. 30. " What must I do to be saved ?" 2. The invitation is not confined to men that have these qualifications, but only particularly ay-plied unto them. Such are under special temptation, and have special need of support. It is one thing to apply the call to one par- ticular sort of men, another to limit \\, and confine it to them : it may be applied particularly to young ones, yet that does not exclude the ancient ; to poor ones/ jet that does not exclude the wealthy ; to afflicted ones, and that does not exclude men that are in prosperity ; unto the Jews but that does not exclude the Gentiles ; Rev. xxii. 22, " Whoever will, let him come, and take of the water of life freely." Object. Q. I hate not a work of humiliation, I am not brought wholly out of myself; therefore I am not called. Ans. 1. Persons that are not humbled, art called to com? to Christ. Their next work indeed is not to come to Christ, but to come out of themselves, and so come to Christ ; to forsake all other confidences, and build on Christ ; to throw away other hopes, and flee to this hope that is set before them ; to throw away their crutches and lean Chap. X. in Right outness of CHRIST. 311 lean upon Christ. Self-righteous persons are invited, Rev. iii. 17, 18. They that said they were r/c/i, are in- vited to come to Christ for gold tried in the fire. 2. If persons are so far humbled as to be willing to take Christ on his ozwt terms, that is enough. There neech no humiliation before faith, but upon this account, that persons may be so shiftless, (hat they may be willing to take Christ as a free gift of God. Men need so much, that they may not make lies their refuge, but may be prepared to take the/ree offer of the gospel ; so much as is necessary in order (o a dependence on Christ and free grace is needful, and no more. Olject. 9. How can the righteousness of Christ make God love me f I have no righteousness of my own to draw the heart of God to me, and 1 do not sec how the righteous- ness of Christ can procure the love of God for me. Ans. 1. The use of the righteousness of Christ is to answer the demands of the law for you. The law laid an objection in ihe way of your salvaton, which must be re- moved before you could be saved ; the law would not admit of your salvation, without a complete righteousness; and the righteousness of Christ does remove this objec- tion. This is as much as the law does demand as the condition of life. The righteousness of Christ makes you an heir of blessedness according to the law. This removes the guilt of sin, this supplies your want of wor- thiness ; so that hereby fair way is made for your salva- tion without any injustice ; Rom. iii. 26. There needs nothing more to make your salvation free from any legal exceptions. 2, There 312 The Safety of Appearing in Chap. X. '2. There is no need that the righteousness of Christ should procure the love of God for you. Men are troub- ling of themselves in vain, when they are seeking a cause of God's love out of himself. God's love is the first cause of marifc salvation, and has independence upon a- ny thing. It is impossible that any thing out of God should move God to love you, and there is sufficiency of grace in God to love you, though there be no external cause to move him, God loves men freely, Hos* xvv. 4. He can have mercy upon you, because he will. The love that God has to the angels of heaven is not built upon their righteousness, but is the foundation of their righteousness ; because they were elect angels, therefore they continued holy angels. And the love of God to Abraham and all his saints does not depend upon their righteousness, noi upon the righteousness of Christ ; indeed, the love of God was the reason- why Christ was sent to work out righteousness for us ; John iv. 10. " He loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins/" Object. 10. / have not the inward call of the gospel; how can it be said then, that God calls me ? 1 have indeed an external call, but God does not inwardly call me ; and I wait for that. Ans. It is the outward call of ihe gospel that gives men their warrant to believe. It is the written word of God that bears us out in it ; and you must not expect any other warrant but that. You must not expect any new revelations to warrant your coming to Christ ; 2 Pet. i. 1 9. " We have also a more sure word of prophecy/' The inward call is nothing else but the opening of the car to Chap. X. the Righteousness of CHRIST. 313 to hear the out ward call ; the inward call is only that il- lumination of the mind whereby we see God calling of us in his word ; the assuring us of the truth of the gospel. The call of God in his word is that which gives men their encouragment to come to Christ ; the word of God it the ground or faiih, P^al. xci. 4. " His truth shall be thy shield and buckler." The design of the inward call is only to clear up the outward call ; and satisfy the heart in that. The outward call evidences men's safety in coming; ihore H God's testimony, and that is an evi- dence he) ond exception, 1 John v. 9. God's call in hisnord makes it youi duly to believe; but that it would not do, if it did not give you a sufficient warrant to be- lieve : the inward call helps us to read and understand our warrant ; but it is the on; ward call that gives war- rant to believe. The outwaid call is the foundation of faith, Acts xiii. 48. " They glorified the word of the Lord, and believed." God speaks his heart in the out- ward call ; men slight if, and say it is but an outward call. But the outward call is no delusion, God speaks uprightly in the outward call ; there you may seethe heart of God, how ready he is to bestow salvation upon sinners ; and the outward call binds God's faithfulness. The outward call lays such a tie upon God, as makes the condnion of believers very safe ; Heb. x. 25. " Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering, for he is faithful that promised." Object. 11.7 have an unwilling spirit to come to Christ, and therefore I am not called ; for the call is only to'ikem that win, Rev. xxii. !7. Whosoever will, let him take of the water of life freelv. D D' Am. 1. 314 The Safety of Appearing in Chap. X. jins. 1. When God says, whosoever wiU.be doe? not limit the call to them that will ; the offer is general, and therefore is made unto them lhat will not, as well a* unto them that will. Men that are unwilling ought to come ; men's duty does not depend upon their willingness to Jo it : God commands those lhat are unwilling. The generality of the Jews were not willing to come to Christ : yet God required them to come, John vi. 29. " This is (he work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent." God makes conditional promises unto such, and will punish such men for their not coming unto Chiist. It will be a poor excuse at the last day, for men to say they were not willing ; out of their oun mouth God will condemn them. When God says,,whosoever will ; he does not require any antecedent willingness befor their coming. The meaning is not, that men must first find themselves will- ing, and so come to Christ : men must not wait for a willing spirit, as a ground of encouragement to come to Christ, God does not require that men should be first w'lling, and then come ; it is a concomitant iviUingntss only that God does require, not an antecedent : for in- deed no man is truly willing to believe in Christ, until he does so. 3. The meaning of it is, that there is an universal liberty given to men to come to Chrfst. He will bestow the blessing on none but those that will; and upon any one that will. The meaning is, that he will reject no jnan that will come, upon any defect whatever, upon any account that may be thought of. Whatever their out- ward 8 Chap. X. the Righteousness of CHRIST. 315 ward condition be, whatever hearts they have, what- ever their former life have been, whatever weakness there be in their failh ; it is an universal offer without ai exception. Object. 12. I am afraid 1 do not understand the mean- ing of the call : God promises life to them that believe; but there may be some interruption or other found out, that 1 did not think of: I fear 1 should but deceive myself, if I shoold come. %* *&* Ans. You scare yourself causelessly. God has upon design so phrased the calls of ihe gospel, that all our scruples may be removed, John vi. 37 . " He that com- eth unto me, I will in nowise cast out." God has made cur way plain to Christ. There can be no interpretation made contrary to the words of the call ; and they bind the thwig sure enough . There can be no interpretation contra- ry to the glory of free grace, which is the great thing that God does design. His design shall not fall to the ground. There can be no such inlerprelaiion as shall rob Christ of his honour, the honour of being a complete Saviour ; yea there can be no such interpretation but what is suitable to the necessity of sinners. This way of salvation is pro- posed to be an help to us, and if we cannot have salva- 4 tion in a way of free grace upon Christ's account,but that there must be some worthiness in us, it would be no help to us. If God -did stand for any worthiness in us, we should be incapable of salvation. Object. 13. I am of raid, if I should believe, that 1 shall come in a wrong way, and then 1 thall be in a woise condition than 1 am- now ; then I shall go /toping tv helL Ans 3J6 The Safety of Appearing in Chap. X. Am. If you come to Christ merely upon gospel encour- agements, you cannot come in a wrong way. If you come indeed upon such encouragements as these, that you have not much angered God ; that you have pacified him ; that you have a great love for him ; that you have not been so bad as other men ; that your heart is soft, ami broken for sin, &c. vou do not come in the right way. But, if you come merely upon the encouragements that God sets before you in his word, you do not come in a right way. God offers salvation to you, and tells you, that his grace is free ; that Christ has died for your sins ; and, if .this prevail upon you, that, though you are vile, yet there is virtue enough in Christ for the pardon of them : that God is a God of glorious grace ; that his word is true ; and if, upon the encouragement hereof, you corrie to Christ, God will not reject you. This is> ihc faitlv that God calls for, Psal. xxxvi. 7. Psal. xci. 4. 2 Tim. i. 12. Object. 14. In this way of coming unto Christ, I must fake all upon trust : we do not set that it is so ; we cannot tdl whether Jesus be the Christ, whether God does take de- light in his sacrifice, and be willing to accept of us ; it ig so reported and recorded ; but we do not know it to be so* but must take it upon trust. Atis. We must indeed take things upon trust, but it is upon testimony of God. If we must take it upon trust from man only, tha' would be hard ; but it is not hard to take it upon trust from God. We have more for i(, than agam^t it ; we have nothing against it, but vain conjec- tures and surmises. The things themselves are not incred- ible : Chap. X. in Rlgktousttesf of CHRIST. Sit ible ; this way of salvation is neither contrary to the justice of God, nor beyond the mercy of God. No man was ever able to give any demonstration against this way of salvation. Men scare themselves with vain sciu* pies and ignorant imaginaiions of their own ; and, are such conjectures and guessings to be set against the testi- mony of God ? God has sent us word from heaven, that we may have salvation by Christ. He gives his witness- unto if, and that may well sasisfy us ; what God speak?, lie will make good. If we receive the witness of men, jj the witness of God is greater ; and we may safely ven- ture our souls'upon his word. God assures us, that it is so ; and gives a large account in his word, how the thing is brought about. He gives us an account of the reason of it, the means and method of accomplishing it, and the design that is upon his heart, in such a way, as is exceed- ing agreeable unto right reason ; removing all weighty objections that can arise in your hearts. If you vviil hearken unlo cavils and the pretences of reason, an:\ stand ofF from Jesus Christ, you must expect to rue it a- nother day. But, if you desire the good of your souls, and to escape those miseries that shall come upon an un- believing world, reject temptations, and cast away all the vain arguments of your hearts, and accept of this glo- rious call, and build upon this sure foundation ; you need not have any greater assurance than God's word, which will endure when heaven and earth shall f^l. It is well for those men and women that have the word of God for their salvation. It is bad, building hopes of heaven up- on men's fancies ; but it is safe, building them upon God ? s worou lo be much in ihe exercise of faith ) 1 John v. 13. " Those things have I written to you that believe on the name of the Son of God, that you. may know that you have elemal life, and that YOU may believe on ihe name of the Son of God." Tiiis ought to be npon a double account. 1 . This is an honor due to God and Jesus Christ. If be- comes us to be putting honor upon them, by renewing those acts of faith. When a man is drawing his encour- agement from the righteousness of Christ, and the free grace of God, prizing Chrises righteousness, salaried with that, rejoicing in it, rolling himself upon it, he is putting honor thereupon ; and ii is no more than it does deserve. It becomes us to be giving this glory unto God and Jesus Christ. When ihe acts of faith are much in- lermiited, and when there are any actings of unbelief, we do deny them their due honor ; but the exercise of faith is a practical acknowledgment of their glory ; and this hone part of that way of holiness, wherein the p.co- ple of Gud are walking unto salvation. The first act of laiih in Christ, is the fulfilling of the covenant ; other acts of faith, are a part of our attending that way of holiness, which is the way of life. 2. This is ihe way of our comfort. We need to be from lime to time renewing the acts of faiih, that we may live a comfortable life ; this is a way to have a stable and well grounded comfort; for in this way of salvation, " God has given us everlasting consolation and good hope/' 2 Thess, ii. 1C. The actings of unbelief fill the soul 320 The Safay of Appear ing id Chap. XI' soul v\i:h trouble. That saint must needs live a sorrow- ful life, that is much carried away with an unbelieving heart. Such a life is attended vviih many terrors and fears; unbelief is the sinking of the heart. The p:e- vailings of a spiiii of discouragement, biing a man inter a most perplexed condition ; and he that lives in a way of carnal confidence, will live a life of trouble : though at times his joy may be great, yet there will ofen be such discoveries of his heart, and convictions of his dan- ger, as will fill his soul with fear and trembling. The cj;Iy way to live a sweet and comfortable life, is to live by faith upon Christ. The actings of faiih give rest unto the heart : there, will be some measure of comfort, wheie* ever faith is in exercise : though a man b-s in the dark about his condition, yet the very actings of faith will sup* port his heart. Faith discovers a resting place for the soul ; in the exercise of faith, the soul is receiving of encouragement ; therefore failh is often expressed in Scripture by joy, Phil. iii. 3. Hab. iii. 18. Indeed there is a swetiness and plectsingness in the exercises of every grace, because they are suitable vo that new na- ture that God has put into his saints ; but there is a spe- cial sweetness in the exercise of faith, because the nature, of it is to entertain a well-grounded comfort and encour- agement. The very actings of faith have a great deal of comfort in them ; and the reflections of the soul upon those acts of faiih, have a great deal of comfort in them. Faith itself is comfortable, and the sight of faith is com- for'tab'e. Fdith comforiF, as it entertains the glad tidings of the gospel ; as it discovers a door of hope. The sight of faith comforts, as it discovers a sure evidence of sal- vauon. In. Chap. XL the Righteousness of CHRIST. 321 In prosecuting of thli Uti, ws ihftll comider three things. 1 . That saints are apt to be discouraged from believing on the righteousness of Christ for acceptance. 2. What their discouragements are t together with pro- posals for the removing of them. 3. What course saints should take, that they may live by faith on Christ's righteousness, and not be discoura- ged. I. Consider, Saints are apt to be discottragzd from oe lieving on the righteousness of Christ for acceptance. There are two sorts of discouragements that Christians have with respect unto their acceptance. One sort is, when they are discouraged, as if they were not accepted; as if they were not saints, and in a state of salvation ; their present state is dark unto them. And this arises ei- ther from God's dispensations towards them, or their carriages toward* God. God lays afflictions upon them, exercises them with inward temp'ations, does not give^ assurance of his love ; does not answer their prayers ; does not quicken their hearts in his ordinance*?. And they are carried away with corruption ; do not feel the working of love in their hearts ; have not such spiritual hearts as others of the people of God; and so they are ready to sink, as if their present state were not a slate of peace with God. The other sort of discouragement i /thosuphut> and Paul ; Rom. vii. 23. " 1 *ee another law in my member!!, warring against the law of ray mind, and bring- ing me into captivity to the law of sin that is in my mem- bers n And that shews, that God can love those that have a great deal of sin in them ; and that he can pas don them. His suffering of it to be in his own, evidences the sufficiency of grace to pardon it. 4. God is as free to pardon hypocrites as other men, if they come unto Jesus Christ. The people of God are a- fraid many times that they are hypocrites ; but thai should not discourage them from believing. Hypocrites are as welcome to come unto Christ, as saints. God does not exclude those that have lived long in a way of hypocri- sy. They may come with freedom of spirit notwith- standing. Men should not suspend the exercise of faith until it be cleared up to them that they are no hypocrites. When they are most in the dark about their estate, their way is to " trust in the name of the Lord, and stay them- selves upon their God," Isaiah 1. 10. If you should be hypocrites, there is encouragement enough to receive the gospel. God has pardoned thousands that have spent a great deal of time in hypocrisy. Were not the Jews that Christ and the apostles offered salvation to, generally hypocrites ? Had not Paul lived a great while in a way of hypocrisy ? and Nicodcmus ? God rejects not any man that accepts of Jesus Christ, though he has been an hypocrite. Dhcour. Chap. XI. the Righteousness of CHRIST. 333 Discour. 3 . That God passes by many others, and does not bestow salvation upon them ; there be many whole wa- tions that God passes over, and leaves to perish, and many particular men among his visible people. " Many are called, but few are chosen," Mat. xx. 16. And they Annot see any reason why God should bestow salvation upon them, when he does deny it to multitudes of oth- ers : why God should make such a difference between them and others. When they are ca led on to believe on Christ, they are afraid to do it ; it damps their hearts to think that there are sofetu that God docs save ; so ma- ny rejected ; and they can see nothing in themselves to incline the heart of God 10 them : God passes over ma- ny wise men, noble men; valient men, rich men, learn* ed men, good natured men, men of great accomplish- ments, and does not bestow salvation on them. If they could but see any reason why God should set his heart upon them, and make such a difference between them and others, it would not be so hard to them to be- lieve ; bui when they consider what kind of men God' has cast off and rejected, it makes them fear that God will reject them also : the severity of God upon others, discourages them, as if there were little likelihood of their salvation. They are frighting of themselves, as if there were lutle hopes for them. It is a sinking thing to* them, thai many men more probable than they, have fallen shor* of salvation. If they could give a reason why God should set his heart upon them, when he re- jects others, it would mightily satisfy them ; but because they cannot, they are lull of doubts, For the removal of this discouragement, Consider, 1. 534 The Safety of Appearing in ' Chap. XI, Consider, 1 . The only reason why God sets his love en one man, and not upon another, is, because he pleas* es. He ads the sovereign!) of his own will in it ; it is his own will that makes ihe difference bet ween men ; 1 Cor. 4, 7. " Who makelh thee to differ from another, and what hast thou that ihou hast not received?" Rom. ix. ]5. " I will have mercy upon whom I will have mercy." God, in loving of men, acts arbitrarily; he acts as thepotfer, informing his vessel* to divers uses, out of the same lump. The will of God is sufficient to move him to choose one, and refuse another ; he can bestow his love upon men, where there is nothing in them to draw it; the will of God can act independent- ly, and indeed it cannot have a dependence upon any other thing. There is nothing out of God that can in- cline the will of God ; all those things that men a.e apt to suppose to have an influence upon the wiilof God- have indeed a- dependence upon his will. There is no- thing in any man to sway the will of God any way. There is nothing in any man 10 be an argument wi h the Lord to love him ; nothing that can woik upon the affec- tion of God to make God love him. He has no excel- lency that can persuade the Lord to love him : whatever beauty, understanding, good nature he has, those things, cannot sway God; God is not taken with those- excel- lencies and accomplishments ihat are in men, as to have his heart fastened and allured to them thereby. And, on the oiher hand, there is nothing in man that can hinder God from loving of him. If the man be weak in un- derstanding, of contemptible and wicked parents, and his ouiward condition mean, yet God can set his heart upon him. There is nothing in man that can biass the will Chap. XL tht Righteousness of CHRIST. 335 will of God either way, to love him or haie him; but God herein acts from his mere pleasure. 2. Hence it follows, tfyat this nr that particular man is as capable of being loved .of God as any other in the world. God has manifested special love unto ihou^ards of men and worm-n, and )ou aie as capable an object of divine love as any of them. You a.e as capable as Abraham, Moses, David, Paul, or any other. Ji is tiue, you are as capable of G<'d's hatred al-o, as any other. The mere pleasure of God doe* decide it, who shal be the objects of his love and his hatred. You have no reason to be discouraged, because you can find no reason in yourself of God's love : Those that God did set hi love upon, could find no reason in themselves of GodMo\e. Though you be mean and despicable, yet you are capable to be an object of God's love as any other. I do not say, that one man is under as great hke^ &/jood as another ; they ihat God brings under means, are the children of Godly parents, that God is striving with by !UN Spirit ; are mo.e likely than o hers ; but one is as capable a^ the other ; lor the f*ee will of God is the only thing thai does determine it ; and therefore you have sufficient ground of encouragement to accept the offer of salvaiion. 3. If God has wrought a spirit of faith and holiness in you, that is a manifestation ihat God has set his love upon you. Though you can find no reason why God should love you, cannot tell why God should have any respect unto you ; yet ii is certain he does love you, if you havea gracious cJbange wrought in you, Though he cast thousands 36 The Safety of Appearing in Chap. XI. thousands of greater natural and acquired endowments than you, and of greater external enjoyments than you, yet you a e one of those thai he lias chosen, and has set his heart upon : 2 Tim. ; , 9. " Who hath saved us, and ealediK wiih an lioly calling, not according to our works, but according to his purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus, before the world began. " Di rour. 4. They find things since their coming to Christ much contrary to their expectation. They thought .thai .he> should have had rnwc expressions of the love of God, more qickenings of the spirit, more help against corruption, more visible answers of prayers : they thought that ii -hey came to Christ, they should have had little trouble or temptation, but have lived a sweet, easy and pleasant life. But things are far otherwise ; things run very low in their souls ; they have a great deal of dark- ness and temptation t they find very evil workings of heart ; and therefore they fear whether God has accept- ed of them, or be willing to accept of them, and to be- stow salvation upon them. Did they walk in the light of the Lord, and enjoy such communion ivith God as they .expected, and feel such evident fruits of the love of God, as they promised themselves, they should not be so backward *o believe; but since it is otherwise t it begets a trembling and fearfulness in them, it puts them to a great stand : hence the call> of God take less impression on them ; especially, because they think it is not so with others that come to Christ. O.hers do enjoy more mani- fest tokens ot divine acceptance, but they are both in in- ward and outward respects under tokens of divine dis- pleasure. And this is an hinderance unto their believing ; Job. Chap. XI. in Righteousness of CHRIST. Job ix. 16, 17. " If I had called, and he had answered yet would I not believe thalhehadheark-enedio my voice; for he breaketh me with a tempest, and multiplied my wounds without cause." For the removal of this discourhgemsnt, Consider, 1. That many sad and sorrowful dispensa- tions are consistent with the favor of God. Men are ready to think that if God delighted in them, he could not find in his heart to exercise them in such a manner : his compassion would work 50 towards them, that they should not experience such sorrows. But men greatly mistake. Ii is true, that ail the ways of God are mercy to them that fear him ; but yet many times his ways are in appearance contrary unto love. It is ^common with God to bring those that he has rejected into a prosperous condition ; they are under very smiling providences. And, on the other hand, God frequently frowns upon his own children, not only in external dispensations but also by in *vaid darkness, leaving them to conflict with sore temptations. The love of God to his people, is not an affection, as love in men is ; but it is a design to make them happy : Not to bestow all those cegrees of blessedness upon them that he can, but it is subserviency to a greater design, even the glory of his name. And therefore he leads them to happiness, in such a way as is conducible to the manifestation of the glory of his pardoning grace, his holiness and sovereignty. And it is frequent with God to lay very heavy afflictions upon his dearest chil- dren ; Psal. Ixxiii. 14. " All the day long have I been plagued, and chastened every morning." And God F F leaves 338 The Safety of "Appealing in Chap. XI' leaves his sometimes to a great deal of inward darkness ; Psal. Ixxxviii. 15. " While I * suffer thy terrors I am distracted." Men that " fear the Lord, may be in dark- ness, and have no light," Isaf. 1. 10. The dispensations of God unlo Job, and the issue of the controversy belween him and his friends, stand upon record, to satisfy the hearts of God's people in all ages in this particular. 2. God docs sometimes withdraw from his own children the sensible quickenings of his Spirit. God never takes a- \vay wholly his sanctifying presence from his people. God is present with them to uphold the being of grace : there is a divine manu'enancy whereby God does preserve the life of grace at all times ; but the sensible quickenings of his Spirit may be often withheld. God may ofien so lac withdraw, that they may not perceiveany special gracious operation of the Spirit upon their hearts ; and that as at other times, so in duties of worship, they may be left ma- ny limes under great dulness and senselessness ; left, much to Ihesloniness of their own hearts, without any special impressions made on them by the Spirit of God. There are times when God makes their hearts burn within them. But there are times when they are left unto a benumbed frame of spirit, as if they had no spiritual senses. They have great cause of joy, but their hearts do not rejoice therein ; great cause of sorrow, but unaffected with it ; great cause of fear, but fearless. Their senses are bound up, and spiritual truths that they think of, or hear of, do not sink into them ; Mat. xxv. 5. " They all slumbered and slept." 3. TJie people of God ought not to count it a frown that Chap. XT. the Righteousness of CHRIST. 33$ that they hare not the immediate light of God's counten* ance frequently. We must have a care that we do not complain whhoui cause. The sealing* of God's Spirit are wonderful mercies ; and special and more immediate discoveries of the love of God, are glorious enjoyments. But it is not God's manner wiih his people to give them frequently. When God bestows them, he expects that men should go in the strength of them many days. Paul was but once caught up to paradise in his lifetime, 2 Cor. xii. 3. God has many other ways to support the hearts of his people. 4. God's manner is* to be training up his people to lite a life of faitli ; to be depending upon him according to his word. He is striving (o bring his saints to live upon bis promt*.; he does in his providences put them upon that ; he takes away other props, that they may lean up- on the promise more ; they shall have lime enough here- after to see things ; in heaven faith will be swallowed up in vision. But here he would have them live by faith up- on his word. The people of God are apt to have too much dependence upon signs, and to lay more weight upon them than upon the word of God ; trusting more to signs, and sometimes to fallible ones, than they do unto the infallible testimony of God : arc! upon that account, God manv times takes signs away* Christians have e- nough left them to live upon when signs are gone. God many times considers the weakness of his saints, as he did the weakness of Thomas, JcLn xx. 27. But yet he is by degrees bringing them 'more off from a dependence upon signs, to live upon his bare word. They are apt to make too much of their signs, snd too little of his word ; there- fore The Safety cj Appearing in Chap. XI. fore he lakes (hem away, (hat they may have only his word to trust to ; 2 Cor. v. 7. " For we walk by faith and not by sight." Dzscour. 5. They fear they were never thoroughly con- verted. They cannot make it out to their own satisfac- tion, that they have an interest in Christ ; they take no- tice of many things that make it doubtful unto them. And if it should be so that they should not be converted, then they cannot believe aright until first (hey have a work of preparation ; they must come to be convinced that they are in a natural condition, that they never did any spirit- ual duty, that they are under the reigning power of sin, before they can come to Christ in a right manner ; this faith will be but a counterfeit faith : if they be hypocrites now, they shall be so, until (hey have a work of legal humiliation wrought in them ; therefore they dare not cast themselves on Christ ; they think their next work is to resolve the case, whether they be converted or no. For the removal of thi* discouragement, Consider, 1 . That the call of the gospel is sufficient en* courageine-nt to them that know not whether they be convert* ed or unconverted. If a man knows that he is unconvert- ed, yet there is encouragement enough in it : if he be at a loss whether he be convened or not, jet there is suf- ficient encouragement in it ; for the call is, to " every one that will," Rev. xxii. 17. So that they dial are at a loss about their present condition, have free liberty to come as well as others. God requires no more of any man but acceptance of the call ; so that there is no bar in any man's way ; you are capable of accepiing the call and Chap. XL the R tght eo usnessof CHRIST. 34 i and if you do accept it, God is engaged by promise to pave you. 2. Though you 'do not know whether \ ou are con veil- ed or not, yet if God discovers this way of salvation oj Christ unto you, you cannot stay away from him. When God lets in a spiritual light into (he heart of a man, clearing up this waji of life to him, lie will not stand harping upon this objection, or any other, but will ven- ture himself upon Jesus Christ. When God satisfies the heart in this way, he will not stay for satisfaction in this question, whether he be convened or no. He will see encouragement enough in Christ, whatever he is or has been ; John vi. 45, " Everyone that lialh heard and learned of the Father, comelh unto me," 3. If, when you are al a loss about your conversion, you can venlureupon Jesus Christ merely upon gosptl en- couragements, that is a sign that you are converted. The actings of faiih on Christ from the apprehension of his excellency, having no dependence on thar, that you are, or have hopes that you are, in a good estate already, ij u sign of a good estate; Phil. iii. .'3. " We lejoice in Christ Jesus and have no confidence in the flesh." Discour. 6. That they have a slighty and unbroken heart ; they have not a due sense of sin ; they have been provoking of God by sinful carriage?, and have not a due sense of their inquiries upon iheir hearts ; and they tliink it would be a daring and presumptuous thing to go presently and rejoice in Christ ; they have more need (o get a -broken heart firs', to get their heart affected with nn, to be stirring up a spirit of self-loathing and haired F F 2 of 4-2 lite Safety of Appearing in Chap. XL of sin. God expects a contrite and a broken spirit; we had need have our hearts loaded and burdened with sin, before we come unio Christ for pardon. For the removal of this discouragement, Consider, 1 . That it is no presumption to come unto Christ and rejoice in him, how sinful soever you be : though you feel your heart very ha;d, though \ou have just now done somewhat provoking unto God, and have not yet bewailed it before God, nor been labouring with your own heart to work the sense of the evil of it upon your own heart. It is a presumptuous thing to sin ; men are too bold and daring when they take upon them to cross the commands of God. And it is a presumptuous thing to make light of sin, because Christ has died, and salvation is procured by him. Sin is never the less hein- ous because Ckrist has died. God's mercy in pardoning of sin, should make us more sensible of the evil of it. But it can be no presumption to come to Christ, though the heart be hard and senseless ; because there is enough in Christ for such as are hard-hearted ; there is that pre- ciousness in the blood of Christ, that it has procured re- mission of sin for such ; 1 Pet. i. 19. And pardon is freely offered to you, Acts x. 33. " Whosoever believ- eth on him, shall receive remission of sins/' And it is no presumption for you to accept of what God freely of- fers unto you ; and indeed if your eyes be opened to see the glorious excellency o Christ, and the grace of God, you will not make an excuse of an hard heait. 2. Entertaining the calls of the gospel, is the way to 'hOtQC a spirit of repentance. It is meet that you should re- pent, Chap, XI. the Righteousness of CHRIST. 343 pent, and havs your hearts broken for your sins ; but the way to come at it, is, to enter lain the gospel offer. There are other means in their place to be used ; but a principal means in order to repentance, is, to receive Christ; believing in Christ is the way to have grace quickened and strengthened. Fauh in Christ is the greatest furtherance of repentance and holiness. Faith discovering the grace of God in Jesus Christ, melts the heart for sin, and arras the heart against it. And faith in Christ, is the great ordinance of the gospel, for the sub- cuing of sin. In this way, God will give his Spirit to work repentance and holiness ; Gal. ii. 20. " I live by faith in the Son of God ;" John vi. <56. " He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in me, and I in him." III. The next thing to be considered, is, what course Christians should take, that they may live a life of faith upon Christ's righteousness, and not be discouraged. Direct. 1. Diligently attend the ordinances of God unto that end. The ordinances of God have a tendency to stir up faith, as well as other graces ; and it is in that way that God has promised his presence and Spirit. God delights to be found in ways appointed by himself. God has not said that we should " seel; him in vain," Isai. xlv. 19. Christ will be present wiili them in those ways, Mat. xxviii. 20. God's very prescribing of means is an encouragement unto us to attend upon them, especially when he has annexed his promise to the same. If men be remiss and slighty in attending upon God's or- dinances, they are not likely to thrive in faiih, or any oth- er grace; it would be no wonder if they should wither away 314 The Safely of Appearing in Chap. XI. away, and live in a daik discouraged condition : but, if Christians be careful to aitend ordinances, and improve them for the strengthening of their faiih, they are in a hopeful way to thrive. No wonderif iherebea tlast up- on the inventions of men ; but experience teaches tLc people of God to say, " it is good for us to daw n*gh unto God/' Pfal. ixxiii. 26. God can make faith Lo flourish without ordinances ; and so he can maintain mens bodily strength, without food. He can reveal him- self to those that seldom wait upon him ; but his manner is, to dt*al out his spirJiual gifts at his oivn gates. He can make them flourish elsewhere if he please; but he chooses to do it in his or:n courts, Psal. xcii. 13, 14. The Psalmist might have understood the end of tho wicked in another place, if God had pleased ; but he chose to give him the understanding of it " in the sanc- tuary/' Psal. Ixxiii. 17. God has appointed the place where we shall meet with him, and there we must icait for him. If men desire to flourish in faith, they must be diligently improving ordinances that way. God loves to honour his own ordinances, and help his people in a way of obedience ; and give forth his presence in such a way, that they may see his faithfulness as well as his mercy. Beware that you do nor, under any pretences, grow negligent in waiting upon God. Some men are carried away with a sluggish F.pirii ; they cannot endure to take the pains to wait upon God, constantly and soJ- emnlv ; they love their ease, and indulge themselves in a lazy way of carrying on end their religion. And some are carried away with a worldly spirit ; they are Mar- tha-like, cumbering themselves with much business - } in- volving themselves so deep in the world, that they can find Chap. XL the Righteousness of CHRIST. 345 find litlle leisure to wait upon God : their worldly busi- ness overrules their religion. If you give way to these Justs, conclude upon it that you will not thrive in (kith. You must be content with a litlle faith, that give way to a slighty spirit in waiting upon God. You never knew an eminent believer that was not a great prizer of ordi- nances ; in this way, there is hope that faith will increase, therefore diligently attend them. Particularly, 1 . Read the word of God diligently. It is very useful to tins end, to read the ivriimgs of faithful and experi- enced men ; such books are of great use for the under- standing of the Scripture. But there is a peculiar use* fulness in (he word of God itself, because that is wiihoat error and mistake : " it is given by inspiration from God," 2 Trm. iii. 16. In other mens writings you have the judgment of men: and many times their judgments are according to the word of God, and cleared up from thence ; but, in the Scripture, you have the testimony ef God himself,* there is a divine authority in the Scripture, The Scripture is the sentence of God, a message from God ; it is clothed with divine majesty. The word of God has a power over the Conscience; theie is secret virtue in it lo stir up faith ; there is a majesty and com- manding authority in the Scripture. Yea, the Scripture is sanctified by God, to work upon the hearts of men ; John xx. 31. " These are written, that ye might believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God." There is a special advantage in it, to hear God speaking in his own lan- guage, 2. Frequently -> IS Ihe Safely oj Appearing in Chap. XI, 2. Frequently attend the preaching of the word. That which Goa makes use of, especially for, ihe beget ling of faith, is very proper for the nourishing of it ; Rom. x. 17. " Faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God." This is an ordinance, as well as the reading of the word. And there is a special usefulness in it seve- ral ways. The life and zeal that is in the delivery, is of special use, and a great means to affect the heart. In the preaching of the word, counsels and encouragements are directed more particularly unto them ; and that by those that God has set over them, that must give an account of their souls, Acts xx. 23. Yea, the very solemnity of the assembly, does help to solemnize the heart, and prepare it to receive what is spoken from the word of God. And therefore you should be forward to take opportuni- ties for the hearing of the word. Men had need have weighty ground-', before they remove to such places where they are likely to live many years without the preaching of the word ; or (o such place?, that they and their families can seldom come to the public assembly : And you had need be careful, that you do not make/r/9- olous excuses to stay awav from the house of God. If the weather be difficult, or if there be some sma I bodily in- disposition, many count they have a good warrant to stay at home : Persons that could overlook such difficulties iri a vvoiLily design. And aUicugh (here be more liberty, respecting weekly opportunities, especially in neighbour places, ye! you had need have (he weight of those'ftfo things upon } our hear', that jou do not cast contempt upon the ordinances of God, and that you do not neglect the advantages thai God gives for spiiitual profit ; Psal. cxxii. 1. "I was glad when they said unto me, Let us go into the house of the Lord." 3. Attend Chap . XI. the Righteousness of C H R i s T . 3 4-7 3. Attend the sacrament of the LORD'S SUPPER. The great design of this ordinance, is, for the lengthening of faith ; therein is offered to us special communion with a crucified Saviour. Therein is a sacramental representa- tion ma le before us of the death of Christ. Therein is a special offer made unto us of the blood of Christ, for the remission of sins, Mat. xxvi. 26, 27, 28. Herein the hearts of God's people have had peculiar establish- ment. Some, when in a di>cou raged condition, are backward to come to this ordinance. The dtvil has a great hand in ii, t /br the strengthen- ing of faith. Christ prayed for Peter on (his account, Luke xxii. 32. and on the same account we should pray for ourselves. Prayer Is the way to win any thing that we need from God. Importunate prayer, is like the of Saul, that returned not empty , Though the people 3-i-S The Safety of Appearing in Chap. XI. people of God are compared with infirmities, yet their prayers are very prevailing. Elias was a Mian of like passions, \ei hi-* p a\er* were successful. God loves to gratifv his people ; he Jakes delight in the exeicise of their grace* in pi a) er: he loves to encourage them in wailing on him according to hi* appointment : therefore constantly attend this duty ; and be much in secret pray* cr. Be often pouring out your heart unto him; this is your duty, Mat. vi. 6. And in this way Chi isiians have much communion with God, whereby their faiih is strength- ened. Such Chrisiaus as can make shift so to stifle iheir consciences, as to be negligent in this duly, lose a great advantage for iheir flourishing in faith and holiness. 5. In case of need, advise with those that can kelp you. When under dark-ness and temptation, have recourse to such as can direct you ; that can speak words in season to them that are weary. Make use of such as are skilful and faithful. Some, out of fearjvlness *r pride t or through ignorance of their duty, go with an heavy load upon their hearts a long while ; whereas it may be, their scruples might be easily answered, if the) would have recourse to those that have ski!!. By the blessing of God, they might soon be led into such a way, that they might have comfort ; Jobxxxiii. 23. " If there be a messenger with him, an interpreter, one among a thousand, to shew unto man his uprightness/' God fits some men to discover mens uprightness unto them, and to shew them how to get it. Have recourse to such as way be able to comfort you, with the comfort whereby they themselves are comfort- ed of God. 6. Rely upon God in Christ, to maintain faith in you. Chap. XI. the Righteousness of CHRIST. 349 *It is needful to have all your expecfaiion from him. If men be in the use of means for the strengthening of faith, and (rust to their own endeavors, they give God occa- sion to blast their labors, and leave them to the doublings and discouragements of their own hearts. No wonder if God lets them fall, that trust to their own strength. You are not able to maintain a spirit of faith in yourselves, nor to fortify your hearts against discouragements, by any power or wisdom of your own ; therefore it is fit you should depend on God in Christ, to work it in you. Christ is our undertaker to preserve faith ; Heb. xii. 2. " He is the author and finisher of fai-th." Therefore, be not proud of your own strength ; but, under a sense of your own inability, rely on Christ to work it in you con- tinually. Direct. 2. Get a more clear, large and distinct under- standing of this way of salvation by Jesus Christ. Ma- ny Christians are exposed unto temptation by their igno < ranee ; though they know that that is a sufficient founda- tion for faith ; yet they arebutrwrfe in knowledge, great- ly to seek about many things that they need to know for the establishing of their faith. Many Christians fall un- der thai reproof ; Heb. v. 12. " Yc have need that one teach you again, which be the first principles of the oracles of God." It is a great help against discourage- ment,, to have a clear knowledge of the gospel. The highest degree of literal knowledge, is not sufficient to make a man believe ; but without literal knowledge, there can be no faith ; and, without a considerable measure of ft, you will be in great danger to be outbid with such temptations, as you might easily see through if you had Xj G more 350 The Safety of Appearing in Chap. XL more knowledge. And therefore the aposile exhorts them to grow in the knowledge.of Chrisf, 2 Pet. ill. 18. Christians should be " able to give the reason of the hope that i3in them/' 1 Pet. iii 15. When they are under doubts, a little information about the way of salvation by the gospel, does remove their doubts. Therefore labor to get a distinct knowledge of the gospel, that you may be able to give account of the design of God in it, as it is revealed in the gospel ; of the equity of it, and its consistency with the law ; of the absolute freedom of the grace of God ; of the trite reason why Christ died ; of the terms of the covenant of grace ; and of (he manner of God's dealing with his, when he brings them into union with Christ, and /{/ter their union with him. A clear knowledge of these and such like things, are of great advantage unto faiih, two ways : 1 . It supplies us with arguments to prove this way of salvation. Hereby men are furnished with strong rea- sons for ihe confirmation of their faith. These things do shew, that the salvation of a believer is built upon a strong foundation. By reason of mem ignorance, they are strangers to many things, that would confirm their faith. There be many things in the gospel that would clear it up to men, if they did know them, that it is im- possible irmt 'believers shbuld fail of salvation. Men might, if they had more knowledge, be able many ways to prove undeniably, that it is a safe thing far them to come to Christ. 2. It supplies m with answws to temptations and many oarnal reasonings, The strength of many (if those rea- ' sonings Chap. XI. the Highletiitfnest af CHRIST. 351 sonings that prove perplexing to the people of God, lies in their ignorance. Many temptations would presently vanish, if men had more understanding. The objections that many times men are perplexed with, are easily an- swered, by those that are more skilful in the word of righteousness. There is enough in the gospel to satisfy their scruples, if they did but understand it. Many things that are great stumbling-blocks to them, would not puzzle them at all, if they had more knowledge. Direct. 3. Have no dependence upon signs. It is a great fault of the people of God, that when they are called to believe, they are waiting for signs. Sometimes God gives his people signs, and sometimes he denies signs unto them. When God gives signs, it is a duty to lake notice of them ; when he gives them we must im- prove them for the strengthening of faith. It was a sin in Ahaz to refuse a sign, Isa. vii. 12. God many times considers the weakness of his people, and gives them signs which are a strengthening unto hope, Rom. v. 4. And it is lawful to desire signs out of a sensibleness of the unbelief of our own hearts ; under the sense of that, that we are easily outbid with temptations ; that our un- believing hearts are ready to take advantage from the want of such evidences. We may desire signs, but it is not lawful to desire them from unbelief. Unbelief is never good, nor any natural effect of it. We have no reason to lie waiting for signs, when we have the word of God to encourage us to believe. Matt. xvi. 4. God has sometimes sharply shewed his anger, when his people have neglected the promise, waiting for signs y he has brought sharp afflictions upon them, Luke 252 the Safety oj Appearing in Chap. XI. ). 1 1, 20. Indeed, sorEeiimes God has granted the desires of hi* p&ople when they have been unbelieving, and have desired signs ; but he does not (herein shew his approbation of those desires ; he condescend*, because of the infirmities of his people ; so he did to Gideon; but Gidcori 's heart smote him for what he did, Judges vi. 39. So Christ condescended to Thomas, but withal re- proved him, John xx. 29. Therefore never wait for signs : have no dependence upon them. Consider, 1 . When God denies signs, there is a suffi- cient foundation for faith. God never leaves his people. without a sufficient ground for faith. It is no sign that a man is not in favor with Gocl, that God lakes away signs ; and there is a firm bottom for faith, when signs are with- drawn. " Such as have no light, may trust in the name of the Lord/' Isa, 1. 10. God's c&Mis a sufficient war- rant to believe. 12. Godrnany times withdraws signs to draw forth the more glorious acts of faith. When men have got signs, they are very ready to live upon them, and lay more weight upon them, than on the stability of the word of God ; and God takes away those crutches, that men may learn to go without them. Men are brought into such a . condition, that they may have nothing the to rely upon, but the word of God, 2 Cor. 1.9. 3. God takes great delight in the acts of faith, at such a timsivhcn signs fail. .Acts of falih at such a time, put a great deal of hrp.our upor. God ; and Gcd does greatly approve of such a faith. God does not reckon men bold and presumptuous for believing at such a time. God loves XI. the Righteousness of CHRIST. 353 loves to see men with the shield of faith, defending them- selves from all temptations. This is a faith very com- mendable in the sight of God : and God will eminently reward his people, for believing on him at such a time. A man cannot please God belter, than by exercising faith under such circumstances. Under this considera;ion, Abraham's faith is commended, " that against hope he believed in hope," Rom. iv. 18. And Jesus Chris f commends the faith of the woman of Canaan ; when un der great templa ion, yet she would rely upon him ; Mat. xv. 28 . " O woman, great is thy faith ! be it unto thee, even as thou wilt." Direct. 4-' Beware offrowardncss and discontent. Fro- wardness is one great cause of discouragement and un- belief. Men get into a discontented frame, and then they do not know how to believe ; their spirits are disor- dered by the dispensations of God unto them ; because God brings great and long afflictions upon them ; does not hear their pra}ers ; does not give them those inward comforts that he does unto others ; and when their spirits are distempered with discontent, they are greatly disadvantaged to receive :he encouragement that God offers unto them. Discontent is an enemy .unto faith; therefore beware of a discontented spirit; when you are under any rebukes of providence, look to your spirits, and labour against the first stirrings of a frovvard spirit ; the workings of frowardness do prove a tempta- tion to unbelief; and so do the workings of any other cor- ruption, as the sinfulness thereof does fright a man from believing. But this is not all ; afroward spirit leads a man into unbelief ; it is a principle and cause of unbe- lief, G G 2 And J5-1 I'he Safety of Appearing in Chap. XL And thai these too ways : 1. Frowardness blinds the minds of men. Frowardness bereaves men of their understandings ; passion draws a veil before (he eyes. God presents before men several encouragements to believe ; but those things do not sink into metis hearts, when discontented. A man in a dis- contented frame, is out of frame to consider the weight of those things that God sets before him ; discontentedness makes him rashly, and inconsiderately, to reject encour- agements. When God is encouraging him, he does not hearken and regard it ; Exod. vi. 9. " They heaiken- cd not unto Mo-es, for anguish of spirit, and for cruel bondage/' Frowardness does prejudice men against be- lieving. When a man is in such a frame, he construes f all. God's dispensations to be from want of love. He think?, if God had any love for him, he would never have dealt so with him ; if God had had a kindness for him, he would Lave done this ibr him and prevented this or that evil. But he takes it as a sign that God does not regard him ; when fioward, he puts the worst sense upon eve- rything ; and represents God's dispensations to himself, as flowing from want of love ; he is ready to say, as she, *< How canst thou say 1 love thee t" Judges xv. 15. Yea, frowardness makes a man justify his unbelief; it so blind* him, a,s it $\& Jonah, thot he thinks he does well; and vindicates himself, as if he had cause for what he did. 2, Frowardness makes men love to cavil against the encouragements that God sets before them. A man in a froward frame studies objections, .and indulges himself in a way of cavilling ; there is a great deal of wilfulness in their unbelief. A froward heart humours himself in hi* raising Chap. XL tlie Righteousness of- CHRIST . -35 "5-' raising of objections; they take a pride in cavilling and turning off the calls of God. When the heart is discon- tented, there is a great deal of a sturdy spirit working in their unbelief. " If I had called, and he had answered, yet would I not believe that lie cid hearken unto my voice, for. he breaketh me with a temper, Job ix. 16,17. Direct. 3. Set before yourselves the examples of other - saints. There is a cloud of witnesses gone before you ; men that are under all sorts of difficulties and temptations have been exercising faith. Remember how '' Abra- ham believed the Lord, and it was counted unto him for righteousness." How Job carried himself, when he says, "Though he slay me, yet I will tiust in him." How David says, " Why art thou cast down, O my soul ! hope in God." How Jonah recovers himself ; ?' Yet will I look again toward thy holy temple." Such examples may be great inducements and helps to ^cu lo follow their example. These examples are very quickening and full of argument ; they are very helpful to strengthen your faith, several ways. J. The examples of saints recorded in Scripture, arc a warrant to you to believe. Their faith is recorded to shew you what you should do, how you should carry in like cases, . The examples of the faith of the saints are set down by way of commendation ; they are presented before you as a pattern thai 3011 should walk afler. The record of those examples does shew, that such a spirit and carriage is highly approved by God. You question wheiher or no God will not count it presumption in you to bslieye, under such circumstances ; but this may lake off '356 TJie Safety of Appearing, in Chap. XJ off that ; God has; reqorded it in his vyord, that his peo- ple have been wont to trust in him in such cases. And you are ca'led upon by God to follow their example ; Pleb. vi. 12. " Be followers of them, who through faith and pa'ienee inherit the promise." 2. Li these examples you may see uhat a lovely glori- ous thing it is to depend upon God, and be exercising of faith in difficult cases. There is a grea' deal of ihe beauty and loveliness of grace seen in the exercise* of it ; it is a taking thing 1o see those glorious workings of faith, that were in Abraham, Sarah, Joseph, Moses, and others of the saints. The apostle says, " We count them happy which eudure ;" Jam. v. 1 1. So we count them happy which believe. The rules of God's word carry in them a commendation of themselves ; but when we see them practised, they are very taking. We count the exercises of faith, that we hear of and read ofj excel- lent ; and they stir us up to imitation. 3. These examples of believing do provoke unto an ho- ly emulation. As one scholar is provoked to .emu'ation by the learning of another, so is one saint piovoked to emulation by ihe faith of others ; the examples of other roens faiih have a tendency to make you ashamed of your unbelief ; you may be ashamed to see yourselves outstripped by those that lived in darker times than you do. You may be a?hamed to think, that you are worse than others ; that you should be more backward to hon- our the grace and faithfulness of God than others. These examples have a tendency to make you pluck up, that you may honour God as others have done. Direct. Chap. XL the Righteousness of CHRIST. 3'57 Direct. 6. Labor io get your hearts fully Satisfied in the divine authority of the Scriptures. If men have scruples and misgivings of heart about that, they will be an occa- sion of discouragement : Such jealousies will interrupt the exercise of faith; for the word is the foundation of our faith ; the authority of the word of God is our warrant to believe. Let all scruples of that kind be speedily remov- ed, as things that strike at the very root of faiih. See that you be well grounded in the authority of the word. Do not take it up as a tradition ; as a thing ov. ,ied by those among whom you live ; but satisfy jour hearts up- on good ground, thai the Scripture is no device of man, but the very word of God. And indeed God has givea us as much assurance tha. U is his word, as we can reason- ably desire and expect. He gives his own testimony to it. We receive the orders of authority upon their own testimony. Thus God witnesses to the truth of his word ; he sets his hand to it ; Zech. xii. 1. Rev. i. 1. And the Scripture has such characters in it, as evidence it to be the word of God. The word carries a sufficient evidence in itself ; there are such circumstances and marks in it, as shew that it is not counterfeit. If a prince send an Order to us, we know it is not counterfeit by the seal, the secretary's hand, the style, the matter of it : So here, all things are without exception. The things are such as are suitable to the glory of God. They were written by holy men that were God's messengers ; they are delivered to us by his church: they are such things as no man without revelation could write ; such things as no man dare write without order from God ; such things as no bad man could write. And they are. confirmed The Safety of Appearing ** . Chap. XI' confirmed by the accomplishment of predictions, and by the presence of the Spirit, blessing them unto conviction and conversion. Direct. 7. Lay up experiences loth of the truth of God's wvrd, and God's love to you. First, lay up experiences of the truth of God's word. It is 9. great fault when per- sons do not treasure up remarkable experiences of the truth of those things that God teaches us in his word. Some men do not observe and take notice of such things. God does in his providence give abundance of expe> ience of the truth of threatenings ; they do many times come to pass in an eminent manner ; he fulfils his word very plainly, that men may see that sin is a provoking thing, and a dangerous thing. So God is giving experience of the truth of promises : for a while the promise did not work, but afterwards it was remarkably accomplished. That Joshua takes notice of, Josh. xiii. 14.. Sometimes he gives eminent experience of his answering prayer, 2 Sam,i. 27. Sometimes, of his making a good end of af- flictions, Jam. v. IK; and of the love he has to his peo- ple under their afflictions : so, Gen. xlv. 5. 2 Cor. iv. 18. Such things do much confirm our faith, that, the word of God is ceriain and true; Pvom. v. 4. " Ex- perience works hope." Secondly, lay up experi- ence of his special love to you. God gives his peo- ple experience of that in one degree or other. Lay up experiences of God's converting you, of the man- ifcsialiomd&sjtawur, the discoveries of his glory, his drawing forth the visible actings of grace. Such experi- ences as these may strengthen your faith ; they are of great use to scatter and remove many temptations where* with your faiih may be assaulted. Direct. S. Chap. XI. the Righteousness of CHRIST. . 330 Direct. 8. Get more spiritual acquaintance with God. The spiritual knowledge of'Godislhe foundation of all the piactice of religion : we know him, and love him ; we know him and obey him ; we know him, and submit to him ; we know him, and put our trust in him : Psal. ix. ]0. " They that know thy name, will put their trust - in ihee." In this way men come to believe at first, and in this way their hear is come to be more settled in a way of believing. If men understood more what God is, that woui.1 deliver them from their doubting? ; 2 Tim. i. 12. "1 know whom I have believed." The more the soul sees ot God, the more he is satisfied that it is safe venturing upon his word. When we understand what a glorious, faithful God the Lord is, we see that we have suie ground to go upon. And when we understand the riches of God's grace ; that removes that great objection from our un worthiness, which made men think that God was not free to save them, and made them think he did not mean them in the invitations of the gospel. Therefore, make it your care to get a much acquaintance with God as you can ; revive upon your hearts the remembrance of those discoveries thai formerly God has given you ; and be in the use of means to get new discoveries of the glory of God. Wait upon him to that end in tke ways he has appointed, and exercise faith upon the Lord Jesus, as the gieat Prophet of his church, who bids us come to him, " that our eyes may be anointed with eye salve that we may see/' Rev. iii. 18. FINIS. 14 DAY USE DESK FROM WHICH BORROWED LOAN DEPT. . ,1 ^P last date stamped below, or > -o m Cn 023 II ror ND CO D IT J * n 2 LD 2lA-60m-3,'65 (F2336slO)476B General Library . Uniyersity of California Berkeley a P r 7- UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA LIBRARY