Part 5

9. This is more largely and particularly expressed in the Treatise on Justification, which I published last year. “If we take the phrase of _imputing Christ’s righteousness_, for the bestowing (as it were) the righteousness of Christ, including his obedience, as well passive as active in the return of it; that is, in the privileges, blessings and benefits purchased by it: So a believer may be said to be justified, by _the righteousness of Christ imputed_. The meaning is, God justifies the believer, for the sake of Christ’s righteousness and not for any righteousness of his own. So Calvin (Instit. l. 2. c. 17.) ‘Christ by his obedience procured and merited for us grace or favour with God the Father.’ Again, ‘Christ by his obedience procured or purchased righteousness for us.’ And yet again: ‘All such expressions as these, That we are justified by the grace of God, that Christ is our righteousness, that righteousness was procured for us by the death and resurrection of Christ, import the same thing:’ Namely, that the righteousness of Christ, both his active and passive righteousness, is the meritorious cause of our justification, and have procured for us at God’s hand, that upon our believing, we should be accounted righteous by him.” p. 5.

10. But perhaps some will object, “Nay, but you affirm, that _faith is imputed to us for righteousness_.” St. Paul affirms this over and over; therefore I affirm it too. Faith is imputed for righteousness to every believer; namely, faith in the righteousness of Christ. But this is exactly the same thing, which has been said before. For by that expression, I mean neither more nor less than that we are justified by faith, not by works: Or that every believer is forgiven and accepted, merely for the sake of what Christ has done and suffered.

11. “But is not a believer, invested or cloathed with the righteousness of Christ?” Undoubtedly he is. And accordingly the words above recited, are the language of every believing heart.

“Jesu, thy blood and righteousness My beauty are, my glorious dress.”

That is, for the sake of thy active and passive righteousness, I am forgiven and accepted of God.

“But must not we put off the filthy rags of our own righteousness, before we can put on the spotless righteousness of Christ?” Certainly we must; that is in plain terms, we must _repent_, before we can _believe the gospel_. We must be cut off from dependence upon ourselves, before we can truly depend upon Christ. We must cast away all confidence in our own righteousness, or we cannot have a true confidence in his. Till we are delivered from trusting in any thing that we do, we cannot throughly trust in what he has done and suffered. First _we receive the sentence of death in ourselves_; then we trust in him that lived and died for us.

12. “But do not you believe _inherent_ righteousness?” Yes, in its proper place: Not as the _ground_ of our acceptance with God, but as the _fruit_ of it: Not in the place of _imputed_ righteousness, but as consequent upon it. That is, I believe God _implants_ righteousness, in every one to whom he has _imputed_ it. I believe _Jesus Christ is made of_ God _unto us sanctification_, as well as righteousness: or, that God sanctifies, as well as justifies, all them that believe in him. They to whom the righteousness of Christ is imputed, are made righteous by the Spirit of Christ, are renewed in the image of God, _after the likeness wherein they were created, in righteousness and true holiness_.

13. “But do not you put faith in the room of Christ, or of his righteousness?” By no means. I take particular care, to put each of these in its proper place. The righteousness of Christ is the whole and sole _foundation_ of all our hope. It is by faith that the Holy Ghost enables us, to build upon this foundation. God gives this faith. In that moment we are accepted of God: and yet, not for the sake of that faith, but of what Christ has done and suffered for us. You see, each of these has its proper place, and neither clashes with the other: We believe, we love; we endeavour to walk in all the commandments of the Lord blameless. Yet,

While thus we bestow Our moments below, Ourselves we forsake, And refuge in Jesus’s righteousness take. His passion alone, The foundation we own: And pardon we claim, And eternal redemption in Jesus’s name.

14. I therefore no more deny the righteousness of Christ, than I deny the godhead of Christ. And a man may full as justly charge me with denying the one as the other. Neither do I deny _imputed righteousness_: this is another unkind and unjust accusation. I always did, and do still continually affirm, That the righteousness of Christ is imputed to every believer. But who do deny it? Why all _infidels_, whether baptized or unbaptized: all who affirm the glorious gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ to be _a cunningly_ devised fable. All _Socinians_ and _Arians_; all who deny the supreme godhead of the Lord that bought them. They of consequence deny his divine righteousness, as they suppose him to be a mere creature. And they deny his human righteousness, as imputed to any man, seeing they believe every one is accepted _for his own righteousness_.

15. The human righteousness of Christ, at least the imputation of it, as the whole and sole meritorious cause, of the justification of a sinner before God, is likewise denied by the members of the church of Rome: by all of them who are true to the principles of their own church. But undoubtedly there are many among them, whose experience goes beyond their principles. Who though they are far from expressing themselves justly, yet feel what they know not how to express. Yea, although their conceptions of this great truth, be as crude as their expressions, yet _with their heart they believe_; they rest on Christ alone, both _unto_ present and eternal _salvation_.

16. With these we may rank those, even in the reformed churches, who are usually termed Mystics. One of the chief of these in the present century (at least in England) was Mr. Law. It is well known that he absolutely and zealously denied, the imputation of the righteousness of Christ: as zealously as Robert Barclay, who scruples not to say, “Imputed righteousness, imputed nonsense!” The body of the people known by the name of Quakers, espouse the same sentiment. Nay, the generality of those who profess themselves members of the _church of England_, are either totally ignorant of the matter, and know nothing about _imputed righteousness_, or deny this and justification by faith together, as destructive of good works. To these we may add a considerable number of the people vulgarly stiled Anabaptists, together with thousands of Presbyterians and Independents, lately enlightened by the writings of Dr. Taylor. On the last I am not called to pass any sentence: I leave them to him that made them. But will any one dare to affirm, That all Mystics (such as was Mr. Law in particular) all Quakers, all Presbyterians or Independents, and all members of the church of England, who are not clear in their opinions or expressions, are void of all Christian experience? That consequently they are all in a state of damnation, _without hope, without_ God _in the world_? However confused their ideas may be, however improper their language, may there not be many of them whose heart is right toward God, and who effectually know _the Lord our righteousness_?

17. But blessed be God, we are not among those who are so dark in their conceptions and expressions. We no more deny the _phrase_ than the _thing_; but we are unwilling to obtrude it on other men. Let them use either this or such other expressions as they judge to be more exactly scriptural, provided their _heart_ rests only on what Christ hath done and suffered, for pardon, grace and glory. I cannot express this better than in Mr. Hervey’s words, worthy to be wrote in letters of gold. “We are not solicitous as to any _particular set of phrases_. Only let men be humbled as repenting criminals at Christ’s feet, let them rely as devoted pensioners on his merits, and they are undoubtedly in the way to a blessed immortality.”

18. Is there any need, is there any possibility of saying more? Let us only abide by this declaration, and all the contention about this or that _particular phrase_ is torn up by the roots. Keep to this: “All who are humbled as repenting criminals at Christ’s feet, and rely as devoted pensioners on his merits, are in the way to a blessed immortality:” and what room for dispute? Who denies this? Do we not all meet on this ground? What then shall we wrangle about? A man of peace here proposes terms of accommodation to all the contending parties. We desire no better. We accept of the terms. We subscribe to them with heart and hand. Whoever refuses so to do, set a mark upon that man! He is an enemy of peace, a troubler of Israel, a disturber of the church of God.

19. In the mean time, what we are afraid of is this; lest any should use the phrase, “The righteousness of Christ,” or, “The righteousness of Christ is _imputed to me_,” as a cover for his unrighteousness. We have known this done a thousand times. A man has been reproved, suppose, for drunkenness. “O, said he, I pretend to no righteousness of _my own_: Christ is _my righteousness_.” Another has been told, that the extortioner, the unjust, shall not inherit the kingdom of God. He replies with all assurance, “I am unjust in myself, but I have a spotless righteousness in Christ.” And thus though a man be as far from the practice as from the tempers of a Christian, though he neither has the mind which was in Christ, nor in any respect walks as he walked, yet he has armour of proof against all conviction, in what he calls the _righteousness of Christ_.

20. It is the seeing so many deplorable instances of this kind, which makes us sparing in the use of these expressions. And I cannot but call upon all of you, who use them frequently, and beseech you in the name of God our Saviour, whose you are and whom you serve, earnestly to guard all that hear you, against this accursed abuse of them. O warn them (it may be they will hear _your_ voice) against _continuing in sin that grace may abound_! Warn them against making _Christ the minister of sin_! Against making void that solemn decree of God, _Without holiness no man shall see the Lord_, by a vain imagination of being _holy in Christ_. O warn them, that if they remain unrighteous, the righteousness of Christ will profit them nothing! Cry aloud, (Is there not a cause?) that for this very end the righteousness of Christ is imputed to us, that _the righteousness of the law may be fulfilled in us_, and that we may _live soberly, righteously and godly in this present world_.

It remains only, to make a short and plain application. And first I would address myself to you, who violently oppose these expressions, and are ready to condemn all that use them as Antinomians. But is not this bending the bow too much the other way? Why should you condemn all who do not speak just as you do? Why should you quarrel with _them_, for using the phrases they like, any more than they with _you_, for taking the same liberty? Or if they do quarrel with you upon that account, do not imitate the bigotry which you blame. At least allow _them_ the liberty, which they ought to allow _you_. And why should you be angry at an _expression_? “O, it has been abused.” And what expression has not? However the abuse may be removed, and at the same time the use remain. Above all, be sure to retain the important sense which is couched under that expression. All the blessings I enjoy, all I hope for, in time and in eternity, are given wholly and solely for the sake of what Christ has done and suffered for me.

I would, secondly, add a few words, to you who are fond of these expressions. And permit me to ask, Do not I allow enough? What can any reasonable man desire more? I allow the whole _sense_ which you contend for: that we have every blessing _through the righteousness of God our Saviour_. I allow _you_ to use whatever expressions you chuse, and that a thousand times over: only guarding them against that dreadful abuse, which you are as deeply concerned to prevent as I am. I myself frequently use the expression in question, _imputed righteousness_: and often put this and the like expressions into the mouth of a whole congregation. But allow me liberty of conscience herein: allow me the right of private judgment. Allow me to use it just as often as I judge it preferable to any other expression. And be not angry with me, if I cannot judge it proper, to use any one expression every two minutes. _You_ may if you please: but do not condemn me, because I do not. Do not, for this, represent me as a Papist, or “an enemy to the righteousness of Christ.” Bear with _me_, as I do with _you_: else how shall we _fulfil the law of Christ_? Do not make tragical outcries, as though I was “subverting the very foundations of Christianity.” Whoever does this, does me much wrong: the Lord lay it not to his charge! I lay, and have done for many years, the very same foundation with you. And indeed _other foundation can no man lay, than that which is laid, even Jesus Christ_. I build inward and outward holiness thereon, as you do, even by faith. Do not therefore suffer any distaste or unkindness, no, nor any shyness or coldness in your heart. If there were _a difference of opinion_, where is our religion, if we cannot _think and let think_? What hinders, but you may forgive _me_, as easily as I may forgive _you_? How much more, when there is only _a difference of expression_? Nay, hardly so much as that? All the dispute being only, whether a particular mode of expression, shall be used _more or less frequently_? Surely we must earnestly desire to contend with one another, before we can make this a bone of contention! O let us not any more, for such very trifles as these, give our common enemies room to blaspheme! Rather let us at length cut off occasion from them that seek occasion! Let us at length (O why was it not done before?) join hearts and hands in the service of our great Master. As we have _one Lord, one faith, one hope of our calling_, let us all strengthen each others hands in God, and with one heart and one mouth declare to all mankind, _The Lord our righteousness_.

SERMON XXI.

UPON OUR LORD’S SERMON ON THE MOUNT. DISCOURSE I. MATT. v. 1, 2, 3, 4.

_And seeing the multitudes, he went up into a mountain; and when he was set, his disciples came unto him:

And he opened his mouth and taught them, saying,

Blessed are the poor in spirit; for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Blessed are they that mourn; for they shall be comforted._

1. OUR Lord had now [47]_gone about all_ Galilee, beginning at the time [48]_when_ John _was cast into prison_, not only _teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom_, but likewise _healing all manner of sickness, and all manner of disease among the people_. It was a natural consequence of this, that [49]_there followed him great multitudes from_ Galilee, _and from_ Decapolis, _and from_ Jerusalem, _and from_ Judea, _and from_ the region _beyond_ Jordan. [50]_And seeing the multitudes_, whom no synagogue could contain, even had there been any at hand, _he went up into a mountain_, where there was room for all, that _came unto him from every quarter. And when he was set_, as the manner of the _Jews_ was, _his disciples came unto him. And he opened his mouth_ (an expression denoting the beginning of a solemn discourse) _and taught them, saying_――

2. Let us observe, who it is, that is here speaking, that we may _take heed how_ we _hear_. It is the Lord of heaven and earth, the Creator of all, who as such, has a right to dispose of all his creatures; the Lord our governor, whose kingdom is from everlasting, and ruleth over all; the great Lawgiver, who can well enforce all his laws, being _able to save and to destroy_; yea, to punish with everlasting destruction from his presence and from the glory of his power. It is the eternal Wisdom of the Father, who knoweth whereof we are made, and understands our inmost frame; who knows how we stand related to God, to one another, to every creature which God hath made; and consequently how to adapt every law he prescribes, to all the circumstances wherein he hath placed us. It is he who is _loving unto every man, whose mercy is over all his works_: the God of love, who having emptied himself of his eternal glory, is come forth from his Father, to declare his will to the children of men, and then, goeth again to the Father: who is sent of God _to open the eyes of the blind, to give light to them that sit in darkness_. It is the great Prophet of the Lord, concerning whom God had solemnly declared long ago, [51]_Whosoever will not hearken unto my words, which he shall speak in my name, I will require it of him_. Or, as the apostle expresses it, [52]_Every soul which will not hear that Prophet, shall be destroyed from among the people_.

3. And what is it which he is teaching? The Son of God, who came from heaven, is here shewing us the way to heaven, to the place which he hath prepared for us, the glory he had before the world began. He is teaching us the true way to life everlasting, the royal way which leads to the kingdom. And the only true way; for there is none besides: all other paths lead to destruction. From the character of the speaker we are well assured, that he hath declared the full and perfect will of God. He hath uttered not one tittle too much; nothing more than he had received of the Father. Nor too little; he hath not shunned to declare the whole counsel of God. Much less hath he uttered any thing wrong, any thing contrary to the will of him that sent him. All his words are true and right, concerning all things, and shall stand fast for ever and ever.

*And we may easily remark, that in explaining and confirming these faithful and true sayings, he takes care to refute not only the mistakes of the _Scribes_ and _Pharisees_ which then were, the false comments whereby the _Jewish_ teachers of that age had perverted the word of God; but all the practical mistakes, that are inconsistent with salvation, which should ever arise in the _Christian_ church: all the comments whereby the _Christian_ teachers (so called) of any age or nation, should pervert the word of God, and teach unwary souls, to seek death in the error of their life.

4. And hence we are naturally led to observe, whom it is that he is here teaching? Not the apostles alone; if so, he had no need to have gone _up into_ the _mountain_. A room in the house of _Matthew_, or any of his disciples, would have contained the twelve. Nor does it in any wise appear, that the _disciples_ who _came unto him_ were the twelve only. Οἱ μαθηταὶ αὐτοῦ, without any force put upon the expression, may be understood, of all who desired to _learn of him_. But to put this out of all question, to make it undeniably plain that where it is said, _He opened his mouth and taught them_, the word _them_ includes all the multitudes, who went up with him into the mountain, we need only observe the concluding verses of the seventh chapter. _And it came to pass, when_ Jesus _had ended these sayings, the multitudes_, οἱ ὄχλοι, _were astonished at his doctrine_ (or teaching.) _For he taught_ them (the multitudes) _as one having authority, and not as the Scribes_.

Nor was it only those multitudes who were with him on the mount, to whom he now taught the way of salvation: but all the children of men, the whole race of mankind, the children that were yet unborn: all the generations to come even to the end of the world, who should ever hear the words of this life.

5. And this all men allow, with regard to some parts of the ensuing discourse. No man, for instance, denies, that what is said of _poverty of spirit_, relates to all mankind. But many have supposed, that other parts concerned only the apostles, or the first Christians, or ministers of _Christ_; and were never designed for the generality of men, who consequently, have nothing at all to do with them.

But may we not justly enquire, who told them this? That some parts of this discourse, concerned only the apostles? Or the Christians of the apostolic age? Or the ministers of _Christ_? Bare assertions are not a sufficient proof, to establish a point of so great importance. Has then our Lord himself taught us; that some parts of his discourse, do not concern all mankind? Without doubt, had it been so, he would have told us; he could not have omitted so necessary an information. But has he told us so? Where? In the discourse itself? No: here is not the least intimation of it. Has he said so elsewhere? In any other of his discourses? Not one word so much as glancing this way, can we find in any thing he ever spoke, either to the multitudes or to his disciples. Has any of the apostles, or other inspired writers, left such an instruction upon record? No such thing. No assertion of this kind is to be found in all the oracles of God. Who then are the men who are so much wiser than God? Wise, so far above that is written?

6. Perhaps they will say, “That the reason of the thing requires such a restriction to be made.” If it does, it must be on one of these two accounts; because without such a restriction, the discourse would either be apparently absurd, or would contradict some other scripture. But this is not the case. It will plainly appear, when we come to examine the several particulars, that there is no absurdity at all in applying all which our Lord hath here delivered, to all mankind. Neither will it infer any contradiction to any thing else he has delivered, nor to any other scripture whatever. Nay, it will farther appear, that either all the parts of this discourse are to be applied to men in general, or no part; seeing they are all connected together, all joined as the stones in an arch, of which you cannot take one away, without destroying the whole fabrick.

7. *We may, lastly, observe, how our Lord teaches here. And surely, as at all times, so particularly at this he speaks _as never man spake_. Not as the holy men of old; altho’ they also spoke _as they were moved by the Holy Ghost_. Not as _Peter_ or _James_, or _John_ or _Paul_. They were indeed wise master-builders in his church. But still in this, in the degrees of heavenly wisdom, the servant is not as his Lord. No, nor even as himself, at any other time, or on any other occasion. It does not appear, that it was ever his design, at any other time or place, to lay down at once the whole plan of his religion, to give us a full prospect of Christianity, to describe at large the nature of that holiness without which no man shall see the Lord. Particular branches of this he has indeed described, on a thousand different occasions. But never besides here, did he give, of set purpose, a general view of the whole. Nay, we have nothing else of this kind in all the Bible: unless one should except that short sketch of holiness, delivered by God in those ten words or commandments, to _Moses_, on mount _Sinai_. But even here how wide a difference is there between one and the other? _Even that which was made glorious had no glory in this respect, by reason of the glory that excelleth_, 2 Cor. iii. 10.