tle intends, by the law and works whereof he treats; for, as to our Justification, whatever they are, they are abfolutely and univerfally oppofed to grace, faith, the righteoufness of God, and the blood of Christ, as altogether inconfiftent with them; and it is his plain defign to evince that inconfiftency. It is evident, that the Apoftle, by the law and the works thereof, intended what the Jews understood by thofe terms; he takes the meaning of them for granted, as very well known and agreed upon between them. Now the Jews, by the Law, intended what the Scriptures of the Old Teftament meant by that expreflion; and that was, the Law given at Mount Sinai; for there is no diftinct mention of it before. This is commonly called, the law abfolutely; but most frequently the law of God; and fometimes the law of Mofes. Of the law, fo given at Horeb, there was a distribution into three parts: (1.) The ten words; that is, the ten commandments, written in two tables of stone. This was firft given; was the foundation of the whole, and contained that perfect obedience required of mankind by the law of creation, and was now received into the church, with the highest atteftations of its indifpenfable obligation to obedience or punishment. (2.) The ceremonial law, as we term it (pn*), rites or ftatutes; "the law of commandments contained in ordinances,” Eph. ii. 15. or in a multitude of arbitrary commands. (3.) The judicial law, as we call it (vn). The whole of it is conftantly called the law (nn); that is, the inftruction that God gave to the church, in the rule of obedience which he prefcribed unto it. That which we call the moral law, was the foundation of the whole; and thofe parts of it, termed the judicial and ceremonial law, were peculiar inftances of the obedience which * The LXX render it by diapara; that is, Jura; but the Latin, from thence, Juflificationes, which has given great occafion of miftake in ancient and modern divines. which the church, under the Old Teftament, was obliged to in the special polity and divine worship, which were then neceffary to it. The law, then, was a per fect rule of all that internal, spiritual, and moral obedience, which God required of the Church; and also of all the external duties of obedience, for matter and manner, time and feafon, that in both the Church might walk acceptably before God. This law, as it was ordained of God to be the inftrument of his rule of the Church, and by virtue of the covenant made with Abraham, (which its introduction on Sinai did not difannul) was accompanied with a power and efficacy enabling unto obedience. As merely preceptive, it administered no power to yield obedience to it (no more do the mere commands of the Gospel); but as it was God's doctrine, teaching, inftruction, in all acceptable obedience, and was adapted to the covenant of Abraham, it was accompanied with an adminiftration of effectual gra:e, procuring and promoting obedience in the Church *. This being the Law, in the fenfe of the Apostle, and those with whom he had to do, our next inquiry is-What was their fenfe of Works, or avorks of the law? I anfwer: The univerfal fincere obedience of the Church to God according to this law. In this confifted their personal righteoufnefs, as "they walked in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blamelefs." And this they efteemed their own righteousness,' according to the law, as it really was, Phil. iii. 6, 9. For though the Pharifees had corrupted the doctrine of the law, and put falfe gloffes on fundry precepts of it; yet, that the Church in thofe days understood by the works of the law, ceremonial duties only, or external works, or works with a conceit of merit, or without an internal principle of faith and love, or any thing but their own perfonal fincere obedience to the whole doctrine and rule of the law, there is nothing that can give the least colour of imagination. N 2 *See Pfalm. i. Pfalm xix. Pfalm cxix. All All this is perfectly stated in the fuffrage which the Scribe gave to that fenfe of the law, which our Saviour declared at his request *: « to love God with all the heart, and with all the understanding, and with all the foul, and with all the strength; and to love his neighbour as himself, is more than all whole burnt-offerings and facrifices." Mofes himself makes faith and love the fum of the law, Deut. vi. 4, 5. And the Apostle declares as much, when he speaks of the law, and the works of it, which he excludes from our Juftification +. From the whole it is evident, that the law fignifies the entire rule and guide of our obedience to God; and the works of it, are all the duties of obedience, internal, fupernatural, external, ritual, however we may be enabled to perform them. And these being excluded, it is the righteoufness of Chrift alone, imputed to us, whereby we are juftified before God. THE CHA P. XV. fuftification by Faith alone. HE Truth, for which we plead, hath two parts. The first is-That we are juftified by the imputation of the righteoufnefs of Christ. The fecond is-That it is by faith alone we receive that righteousness to our own ufe and benefit. For though this faith be the radical principle of all obedience, yet, as justifying, its act and duty is fuch, that no other grace or duty can be affociated with it, or be of any confideration. 1. That faith, whereby we are justified, is moft frequently, in the New Teftament, expreffed by receiving. This notion of faith having been mentioned before, we shall here only notice two things concerning it: (1.) That it is fo expreffed with refpect to the whole object of faith. Hereby we are faid to receive Chrift himself ‡, and as the Lord Lord our righteousness. Thus we receive the atonement *, and the forgiveness of fins —the grace of God-the abundance of grace, and the gift of righteousness; fo that faith, with respect to all the caufes of Juftification, is. expreffed by receiving for it also receives the promije §, the inftrumental caufe thereof on the part of God. Now, no grace nor duty can have any co-operation with faith herein; this reception of Chrift, and his righteoufnefs, belongs not to their nature, nor is com、 prifed in their exercife. We obferve alío, (2.) That the nature of faith confifting in receiving, that which is the object of it must be offered, tendered, given to us, as that which is not our own, but made ours by that giving and receiving. Herein also, as no other grace nor duty can concur with it, fo the righteoufnefs whereby we are juftified cannot be our own, antecedent to this reception, nor at any time inherent in us. Hence we argue, That if the work of faith in our Juftification, be receiving what is freely given, and imputed to us, that is, Chrift; his righteousness; his atonement; the forgiveness of fins; then our other graces, or works, have no influence into our Juftification, nor are they caufes or conditions thereof. "Look unto me 2. Faith is expreffed by looking; and be saved || :" and the nature of it is declared by our Lord himself ¶ ; "As Mofes lifted up the ferpent in the wilderness, even so muft the Son of man be lifted up, that whofoever believeth in him fhould not perish, but have eternal life." When any one was ftung, if he used any other remedy, he perished: only thofe who looked to the brazen ferpent lived; for this only was the ordinance of God for life and healing. This was a type of the pardon of fin and everlasting life and by their looking, the nature of faith is plainly expreffed, as our Saviour himself expounds it. Now, if faith, as juftifying, be a looking to Chrift for deli-verance, righteousness and life, then it excludes all other graces and duties whatever ;, for by them we do not look, nor are they the things which we look for. 3. It is frequently expreffed, by Coming to Chrift: "Come unto me, all ye that labour *." He, who is convinced of fin and burdened with it; who really defigns to "fly from the wrath to come ;" and who hath heard the voice of Chrift in the Gofpel, inviting him to come to him for help and relief, will tell you, that this coming to Chrift confifts in a man's going out of himself; in a complete renunciation of all his own duties and righteoufnefs, and betaking himself to Chrift alone for pardon and life. Perhaps fome will fay, this is not believing but canting; be it fo; we refer the judg ment of it to the church of God. Now Coming to Chrift for life and falvation, is believing on him unto Justification; and no other grace or duty is a coming to Chrift; and therefore can have no place in Juftification. 4. It is expreffed by fiying for refuge +: "Who have fled for refuge to lay hold on the hope fet before Hence fome have well defined faith to be (perfugium anima) "the flight of the foul to Chrift for de<liverance from fin and mifery." The perfon who believes, being convinced of his loft condition, and of the neceffity of going out of himfelf for relief; and confidering Chrift as fet before him in the promise of the Gofpel; and judging this to be a holy, a safe way for his deliverance, he flies unto it for refuge; that is, with speed and diligence, left he perifh in his prefent condition; he betakes himself unto it, by placing his whole truft thereon. And the whole nature of Juftification by Chrift, is better declared hereby unto the fupernatural fenfe and experience of believers, than by an hundred philofophical difputations about it. us." Matt. xi. 28. John vi. 35, 37, 45, 65. 5. The vii. 37. + Heb. Song viii. 5. |