soul's breathing back what it first receives from God! a continual action of God upon the soul, and re-action of the soul upon God: an unceasing presence of God, the loving, pardoning God, manifested to the heart, and perceived by faith; and an unceasing return of love, praise, and prayer, offering up all the thoughts of our hearts, all the words of our tongues, all the works of our hands, all our body, soul, and spirit to be an holy sacrifice, acceptable unto God in Christ Jesus. 3. And hence we may, thirdly, infer, The absolute necessity of this re-action of the soul (whatsoever it be called) in order to the continuance of the divine life therein. For it plainly appears, God does not continue to act upon the soul, unless the soul re-acts upon God. He prevents us indeed with the blessings of his goodness. He first loves us, and manifests himself unto us. While we are yet afar off, he calls us to himself, and shines upon our hearts. But if we do not then love him who first loved us; if we will not hearken to his voice; if we turn our eye away from him, and will not attend to the light which he pours upon us: his Spirit will not always strive; he will gradually withdraw, and leave us to the darkness of our own hearts. He will not continue to breathe into our soul, unless our soul breathes toward him again; unless our love, and prayer, and thanksgiving return to him, a sacrifice wherewith be is well pleased. 4. Let us learn, lastly, To follow that direction of the great apostle, Be not high-minded, but fear. Let us fear sin, more than death or hell. Let us have a jealous (though not painful) fear, lest we should lean to our own deceitful hearts. Let him that standeth take heed, lest he fall. Even he who now standeth fast in the grace of God, in the faith that overcometh the world, may nevertheless fall into inward sin, and thereby make shipwreck of his faith And how easily then will outward sin regain its dominion over him? Thou, therefore, O man of God, watch always that thou mayest always hear the voice of God. Watch, that thou mayest pray without ceasing, at all times, and in all places, pouring out thine heart before him. So shalt thou always believe, and always love, and never commit sin. SERMON * SERMON XX. The Lord Our Righteousness. JEREMIAH xxiii. 6. This is his name, whereby he shall be called, THE Lord que RIGHTEOUSNESS.' 1.HOW dreadful, and how innumerable are the contests, which have arisen about religion? And not only among the children of this world, among those who knew not what true religion was; but even among the children of God, those who had experienced the kingdom of God within them, who had tasted of righteousness and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost? How many of these in all ages, instead of joining together against the common enemy, have turned their weapons against each other, and so not only wasted their precious time, but hurt one anothers spirits, weakened each others hands, and so hindered the great work of their common Master! How many of the weak have hereby been offended? How many of the lame turned out of the way? How many sinners confirmed in their disregard of all religion, and their contempt of those that profess it? And how many of the excellent ones upon earth have been constrained to weep in secret places? 2. What would not every lover of God and his neighbour do, what would he not suffer to remedy this sore evil? To remove contention from the children of God? To restore or preserve peace among them? What but a' good conscience would he think too dear to part with, in order to promote this valuable end? And suppose we cannot make these wars to cease in all the world, suppose we cannot reconcile all the children of God to each other, however let each do what he can, let him contribute, if it be but two mites, toward it. Happy are they who are able, in any degree, to promote peace and good will among among men! Especially among good men: among those that are all listed under the banner of the Prince of peace; and are therefore peculiarly engaged, as much as lies in them, to live peaceably with all men. 3. It would be a considerable step toward this glorious end, if we could bring good men to understand one another. Abundance of disputes arise purely from the want of this, from mere misapprehension. Frequently neither of the contending parties understands what his opponent means; whence it follows, that each violently attacks the other, while there is no real difference between them. And yet it is not always an easy matter, to convince them of this. Particularly when their passions are moved: it is then attended with the utmost difficulty. However it is not impossible: especially when we attempt it, not trusting in ourselves, but having all our dependence upon him, with whom all things are possible. How soon is he able to disperse the cloud, to shine upon their hearts, and to enable them, both to understand each other, and the truth as it is in Jesus! 4. One very considerable article of this truth is contained in the words above recited, This is his name whereby he shall be called, The Lord our righteousness: a truth this, which enters deep into the nature of Christianity, and in a manner supports the whole frame of it. Of this undoubtedly may be affirmed, what Luther affirms of a truth closely connected with it, it is Articulus stantis vel cadentis ecclesia: the Christian church stands or falls with it. It is certainly the pillar and ground of that faith, of which alone cometh salvation: of that Catholic or universal faith, which is found in all the children of God, and which "unless a man keep whole and undefiled, without doubt he shall perish everlastingly." 5. Might not one therefore reasonably expect, that however they differed in others, all those who name the name of Christ, should agree in this point? But how far is this from being the case? There is scarce any wherein. they are so little agreed: wherein those who all profess to follow Christ, seem so widely and irreconcileably to differ. I say seem; because I am thoroughly convinced, that many of them only seem to differ. The disagree ment ment is more in words than in sentiments: they are much nearer in judgment than in language. A wide difference in language there certainly is, not only between Protestants and Papists, but between Protestant and Protestant; yea, even between those who all believe justifi cation by faith, who agree, as well in this, as every other fundamental doctrine of the gospel. 6. But if the difference be more in opinion than real experience, and more in expression than in opinion, how can it be, that even the children of God should so vehemcntly contend with each other on the point? Several reasons may be assigned for this; the chief is their not understanding one another; joined with too keen an attachment to their opinions, and particularly modes of ex pression. In order to remove this, at least in some measure; in order to our understanding one another on this head, I shall, by the help of God, endeavour to shew, I. What is the righteousness of Christ; II. When, and in what sense, it is imputed to us: And, I. What is the righteousness of Christ? It twofold, either his divine or his human righteousness. 1. His divine righteousness belongs to his divine nature, as he is '0 'v. He that existeth, over all, God, blessed for ever the Supreme, the Eternal: " Equal with the Father, as touching his godhead, though inferior to the Father, as touching his manhood." Now this is his eternal, essential, immutable holiness; his infinite justice, mercy, and truth in all which be and the Father are one. But I do not apprehend that the divine righteousness of Christ is immediately concerned in the present question. I believe few, if any, do now contend, for the imputation of this righteousness to us. Whoever believes the doctrine of imputation, understand it chiefly, if not solely, of his human righteousness. 2. The human righteousness of Christ, belongs to him in his human nature: as he is the Mediator between God and man, the man Christ Jesus. This is either internal or external. His No. V. I i His internal righteousness is the image of God, stampt on every power and faculty of his soul. It is a copy of his divine righteousness, so far as it can be imparted to a human spirit. It is a transcript of the divine purity, the divine justice, mercy and truth. It includes love, reverence, resignation to his Father; humility, meekness, gentleness: love to lost mankind, and every other holy and heavenly temper: and all these in the highest degree, without any defect, or mixture of unholiness. 3. It was the least part of his external righteousness, that he did nothing amiss: that he knew no outward sin of any kind, neither was guile found in his mouth; that he never spoke one improper word, nor did one improper action. Thus far it is only a negative righteousness, though such an one as never did, nor ever can belong to any one that is born of a woman, save him self alone. But even his outward righteousness was positive too. He did all things well. In every word of his tongue, in every work of his hands, he did precisely the will of him that sent him. In the whole course of his life, he did the will of God on earth, as the angels do it in heaven. All he acted and spoke was exactly right in every circumstance. The whole and every part of his obedience was complete. He fulfilled all righteousness. 4. But his obedience implied more than all this: it implied not only doing, but suffering: suffering the whole will of God, from the time he came into the world, till he bore our sins in his own body upon the tree: yea, till having made a full atonement for them, he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost. This is usually termed the passive righteousness of Christ, the former, his active righteousness. But as the active and passive righteousness of Christ were never in fact separated from each other, so we never need separate them at all, in speaking or even thinking. And it is with regard to both these conjointly, that Jesus is called The Lord our righteousness, II. But when is it, that any of us may truly say, The Lord our righteousness? In other words, when is it that the |