Chapter 2: The Doctrine Proposed — The Qualified Subject, Nature, and Season of Blessedness

A summary proposal of the doctrine contained in this Scripture. A distribution of it into three distinct heads of discourse, namely: 1. The qualified subject. 2. The nature. 3. The season of the blessedness here spoken of. The first of these taken into consideration, where the qualification righteousness is treated of. About which is shown, 1. What it is. 2. How it qualifies.

Now the foregoing sense of the words being supposed, it appears that the proper argument of this Scripture is, the blessedness of the righteous in the other life, consisting in the vision, and participation of the divine glory, with the satisfaction that results from there.

In which summary account of the doctrine here contained, three general heads of discourse offer themselves to our view.

The subject, nature, season, of this blessedness.

Or to whom it belongs, wherein it consists, and when it shall be enjoyed.

First then, we begin with the consideration of the subject, to whom this blessedness appertains. And we find it expressed in the Text, in these only words [I; in righteousness] which amount to as much as a righteous person as such. They represent to us, the subject of this blessedness in its proper qualification. Wherein, our business is to consider his qualification, righteousness, under which notion only he is concerned in the present discourse. And about which two things are to be enquired.

- What it imports, - How it qualifies.

First, what it imports. I take righteousness here to be opposed to wickedness in the foregoing verse, (as was intimated before) and so understand it in an equal latitude: not of particular, but of universal righteousness. That is, not that particular virtue, which inclines men to give every one their right (unless in that every one, you would include also the blessed God himself, the sovereign common Lord of all) but a universal rectitude of heart and life, comprehending not only equity towards men, but piety towards God also. A conformity to the law in general, in its utmost extent, adequately opposite to sin, (which is indeed of larger extent than wickedness; and in what different respects righteousness is commensurate to the one and the other, we shall see by and by) as that is, generally, said to be [illegible], a transgression of the law.

Among moralists, such a comprehensive notion of righteousness as is inclusive of all other virtues is not unknown. But in Scripture, it is its much more ordinary acceptation. To give instances, were to suppose too much ignorance in the reader, and to enumerate the passages in which this term is taken in that extensive sense, were too great an unnecessary burden to the writer. It were indeed to transcribe a great part of the Bible. How familiar is the opposition of righteous and wicked, and righteous and sinner in sacred language! And how fully coextent righteousness is in the Scripture notion of it to the whole law of God, that one passage sufficiently discovers, where it is said of Zacharias and Elizabeth that they were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless (Luke 1:5-6).

It is true indeed, that when the words godliness or holiness are in conjunction with this term, its significancy is divided and shared with them, so as that they signify, in that case, conformity to the will of God in the duties of the first Table, and this is confined to those of the second. Otherwise, being put alone, it signifies the whole of man; as the other expressions also do in the same case, especially the latter of them.

As it seems not to be within the present design of the context to take notice of any imputed wickedness, of the opposite sort of persons, other than what was really in them, and whereby they might be fitly characterized: so I conceive, imputed righteousness is not here meant that is inherent in the person of the Mediator, but that which is truly subjected in a child of God, and descriptive of him. Nor must any think it strange, that all the requisites to our salvation are not found together in one text of Scripture. The righteousness of Him, whom we are to adore as made sin for us, that we might be made the righteousness of God in him, has a much higher sphere peculiar and appropriate to itself. This of which we now speak, in its own inferior and subordinate place, is necessary also to be, (both had and) understood.

It must be understood by viewing it in its rule, in conformity with which it stands; which must needs be some law of God. There has been a twofold law given by God to mankind, as the measure of a universal righteousness, the one made for innocent, the other for lapsed man, which are distinguished by the Apostle under the names of the law of works, and the law of faith. It can never be possible, that any of the apostate sons of Adam, should be denominated righteous by the former of these laws, the righteousness thereof consisting in a perfect and sinless obedience.

The latter therefore is the only measure and rule of this righteousness, namely, the law of faith; or that part of the Gospel revelation which contains and discovers our duty, what we are to be and do in order to our blessedness; being, as to the matter of it, the whole moral law, before appertaining to the covenant of works; moderated to the state of fallen sinners, by evangelical mitigations and indulgency by the super-added precepts of repentance and faith in a Mediator, with all the other duty respecting the Mediator, as such: and clothed with a new form as it is now taken into the constitution of the covenant of grace.

This rule, though it be in the whole of it capable of coming under one common notion, as being the standing obliging law of Christ's mediatory kingdom, yet according to the different matter of it, its obligations and annexed sanctions are different.

As to its matter; it must be understood to require

1. The mere being and sincerity of those gracious principles with their essential acts (as there is opportunity) expressed therein, in opposition to the nullity and insincerity of them.

2. All the possible degrees and improvements of such principles and acts, in opposition to any the least failure or defect. In the former respect, it measures the very essence of this righteousness, and enjoins what concerns the being of the righteous man as such: in the latter, it measures all the superadded degrees of this righteousness, (which relations, where they have a mutable foundation admit) enjoining what concerns the perfection of the righteous man. In the former respect, righteousness is opposed to wickedness, as in that of the Psalmist, I have kept the ways of the Lord and have not wickedly departed from my God — therefore has the Lord recompensed me according to my righteousness. In the latter to sin, with which the Apostle makes righteousness coextensive, in these words, If we say we have no sin we deceive ourselves, etc. if we confess our sins he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

Accordingly are its sanctions diverse. For in that it enjoins the former of these, the essence of this righteousness, in opposition to a total absence of it; it is constitutive of the terms of salvation, and obliges under the penalty of eternal death: So are faith, repentance, love, subjection, etc. required, If you do not believe that I am he you shall die in your sins. He who does not believe is condemned already — the wrath of God abides on him — if you do not repent you shall all likewise perish. Repent that your sins may be blotted out — him has God exalted to be a Prince and a Savior to give repentance and remission of sins. If any man does not love the Lord Jesus Christ, let him be Anathema Maran-atha. He who loves Father or Mother more than me is not worthy of me, etc. If any man comes to me and hates his father and mother, and wife and children, and brethren and sisters, yes, and his own life also, (that is as the former Scripture expounds this, loves them not less than me) he cannot be my disciple, (that is, while he remains in that temper of mind he now is of, he must needs be wholly unrelated to me, and incapable of benefit by me, as well as he is unteachable, and not susceptible of my further instructions, neither capable of the precepts or privileges belonging to discipleship.) He is the author of eternal salvation to all those who obey him, and will come in flaming fire to take vengeance of those who know not God, and obey not his Gospel; who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, etc. Where it is only the sincerity of those several requisites, that is, under so severe penalty, exacted and called for; in as much as he that is sincerely a believer, penitent, a lover of God or Christ, an obedient subject, is not capable of the contrary denomination, and therefore not liable, according to the tenor of this law, to be punished as an infidel, an impenitent person, an enemy, a rebel.

When it enjoins the latter, namely, all the subsequent duty through the whole course, of which the already sincere soul must be tending towards perfection; though it does not bind to it under pain of damnation further than as such neglects and miscarriages, may be so gross and continued, as not to consist with sincerity: yet such injunctions are not wholly without penalty, but here it obliges, under lesser penalties, the hiding of God's face, and other paternal severities, and castigations. They that thus only offend, are chastened of the Lord, that they may not be condemned with the world. Their iniquity is visited with the rod, and their transgression with stripes, though loving-kindness be not taken away — yes, and while they are short of perfect holiness, their blessedness is imperfect also; which is to be acknowledged a very grievous penalty, but inconceivably short of what befalls them that are simply unrighteous. That it obliges thus diversely is evident; for it does not adjudge to eternal death for the least defect; for then what other law should relieve against the sentence of this? Or in what way were this a relieving law? Yet does it require perfection, that we perfect holiness in the fear of God, that we be perfect as our Father in heaven is perfect. And otherwise, did it bind to no other duty than what it makes simply necessary to salvation, the defects, and miscarriages that consist with sincerity, were no sins not being provided against by any law that is of present obligation. For to suppose the law of works in its own proper form, and tenor to be still obliging, is to suppose all under hopeless condemnation; in as much as all have sinned. And besides, it should oblige to cast off all regard to Christ and to seek blessedness without him, yes, and it should oblige to a natural impossibility, to a contradiction: to make that not to have been which has been: a sinner to seek happiness by never having sinned. Yet though it cannot in its own form be man's rule of duty, it is nevertheless God's rule of judgment upon all whom the law of faith relieves not, as not coming up to the terms of it (whom also this supervening law brings under a supervening aggravated condemnation) for where the obligation to obedience is violated, the obligation to punishment, naturally takes place.

The rule of this righteousness therefore being evidently the Law of Faith, the Gospel-revelation, in which it is preceptive of duty, this righteousness can be understood to be nothing but the impress of the Gospel upon a man's heart and life. A conformity in spirit and practice to the revelation of the will of God in Jesus Christ, a collection of graces exerting themselves in suitable actions and deportments towards God and man. Christ formed in the soul, or put on; the new creature in its being and operations, the truth learned as it is in Jesus, to the putting off the old man and the putting on the new.

More distinctly, we may yet see in what it lies, upon a premised view of some few things necessary to be foreknown in order to that. As

That this righteousness is a renewing righteousness, or the righteousness of one formerly a sinner, a lapsed perishing wretch, who is by it, restored into such a state towards God, as he was in before that lapse (in respect of certain great essentials, though as yet his state be not so perfectly good while he is in his tendency and motion; and shall, by certain additionals, be unspeakably better, when he has attained the end and rest he is tending to.)

That a reasonable creature, yet untainted with sin, could not but have a temper of mind [reconstructed: suitable] to such apprehensions as these, namely, that as it was not the author of being to itself, so it ought not principally to study the pleasing and serving of itself, but him, who gave it being: that it can no more continue and perfect itself to blessedness, than it could create itself; and can therefore have no expectation of this, but from the same author of its being: and hence that it must respect, and eye the great God, its Creator, and Maker, as

The sovereign authority whom it was to fear, and obey. Sovereign good whom it was to love, and enjoy. But because it can perform no duty, to him, without knowing what he will have it do; nor have any particular expectation of favors from him, without knowing what he will please to bestow: and is therefore obliged to attend to the revelations of his will concerning both these. It is therefore necessary, that he eye him under a notion introductive, and subservient to all the operations, that are to be exerted towards him, under the two former notions: that is, as the eternal never-failing truth, safely to be depended on, as intending nothing of deceit in any the revelations, whether of his righteous will, concerning matter of duty to be done, or of his good will, concerning matter of benefit to be expected and enjoyed.

That man did apostatize and revolt from God, as considered under these several notions: and returns to him, when a holy rectitude is recovered, and he again becomes righteous, considered under the same.

That it was not agreeable to God's wisdom, truth, and legal justice, to treat with man a sinner, in order to his recovery, but through a Mediator: and that therefore he was pleased in wonderful mercy, to constitute and appoint his own Son Jesus Christ, God-man, to that office and undertaking; that, through him, man might return and be reconciled to himself, whom he causelessly forsook; designing that man shall now become so affected towards himself, through the Mediator; and firstly therefore towards the Mediator's own person, as he was before, and ought to have been towards himself immediately.

Therefore, whereas God was considerable, in relation to man, both in his innocency and apostasy, under that aforementioned twofold notion of the supreme authority and goodness, he has also set up and exalted our Lord Jesus Christ, and represented him to sinners under an answerable twofold notion of a Prince-Savior — that is, a mediating Prince and Savior to give repentance first; to bow and stoop the hearts of sinners, and reduce them to a subject posture again, and then remission of sins to restore them to favor and save them from the wrath to come. Him has the Father clothed with his own authority, and filled with his grace: requiring sinners to submit themselves to his ruling power, and commit themselves to his saving mercy; now both lodged in this his Son: to pay him immediately, all homage and obedience, and through him ultimately to himself; from him immediately, to expect salvation and blessedness, and through him ultimately from himself.

That whereas the spirits of men are not to be worked to this temper, but by the intervention of a discovery and revelation of the divine will to this purpose: our Lord Jesus Christ is further appointed by the Father to reveal all this his counsel to sinners. And is eminently spoken of in Scripture on this account, under the notion of the truth, in which capacity he more effectually recommends to sinners, both his authority and his grace. So that his threefold (so much celebrated) office of King, Priest, Prophet — the distinct parts of his general office as Mediator — which he manages in order to the reduction of lost sinners, exactly corresponds (if you consider the more eminent acts, and properties of each office) to that threefold notion under which the spirit of man must always have eyed and been directed towards God, had he never fallen, and hence this righteousness, which consists in conformity to the Gospel, is the former righteousness, which was lost; with such an accession as is necessary, upon consideration that it was lost, and was only to be recovered by a Mediator.

Therefore you may now take this short, and as compendious an account as I can give of it, in what follows.

It includes, so firm and understanding an assent to the truth of the whole Gospel revelation; as that the soul is thereby brought, through the power of the Holy Ghost, sensibly to apprehend its former disobedience to God, and distance from him, the reasonableness of subjection to him and desirableness of blessedness in him; the necessity of a Redeemer to reconcile, and recover it to God; the accomplishments and designation of the Lord Jesus Christ to that purpose: and hence, a penitent and complacential return to God, as the supreme authority, and sovereign good, a humble and joyful acceptance of our Lord Jesus Christ as its Prince and Savior, with submission to his authority, and reliance on his grace (the exercise of both which are founded in his blood) looking and pitching upon him, as the only medium, through which he and his duties can please God, or God and his mercies approach him: and through which he has the confidence to venture upon a covenant-acceptance of God, and surrender himself to him, afterward pursued to his uttermost, by a continued course of living in his fear and love, in obedience to him, and communion with him through the Mediator, always, while he is passing the time of his pilgrimage in this world, groaning under remaining sin, and pressing after perfect holiness: with an earnest expectation (animating him to a persevering patience through all difficulties) of a blessed eternity in the other world.

That such a conformity to the Gospel should be expressed by the name of righteousness, cannot seem strange to such as acquaint themselves with the language of the Scripture. That gracious frame which the Gospel (made essential) impresses upon the soul, is the Kingdom of God, in the passive notion of it, his Kingdom received and now actually come with power upon our spirits. And this Kingdom, (sometimes also by an apt synecdoche called judgment in the same notion) is said to consist in righteousness; from which there also result peace and joy in the Holy Ghost. The same holy impressions, and consequent operations are mentioned, by the Apostle, under the name of fruits of righteousness, with which he prays his Philippians might be filled. It was Elymas's opposition to the Gospel, that stigmatized him with that brand, "You enemy of all righteousness." To yield ourselves servants to righteousness, in opposition to a former servitude to sin, is obeying from the heart the doctrine of the Gospel, into the type or mould of which we have been cast or delivered. And surely, both the seal and the impression, God's revelation and holiness (however now more explicit and distinctly conspicuous in all their parts) are the same, with us, substantially, and in David's time; from which we need make no difficulty to own this latter, when we meet with it, as here, under the same name.

By what has hitherto been said, it may be already seen in part, how exactly this righteousness corresponds to the blessedness for which it qualifies; of which we shall have occasion hereafter to take further notice. In the meantime, it will be requisite to show (which was promised to be done in the next place.)

How it qualifies. To which I say (very briefly) that it qualifies for this blessedness two ways.

1. Legally, or in genere Morali, as it describes the persons, who by the Gospel-grant, have, alone, title thereunto — The righteous into life eternal — The unrighteous shall not inherit the Kingdom of God. Say to the righteous it shall be well with them. The righteousness of the righteous shall be upon him — In his righteousness he shall live. In which last words, how this righteousness conduces to life is expressed by the same preposition as in the text. In this kind it is not at all causal of this blessedness, but it is that which the free, and wise, and holy lawgiver thought meet, by his settled constitution (besides what necessity there is of it upon another account) to make requisite thereto. The conformity of our Lord Jesus Christ to that severer law, under which he is said to have been made, is that which alone causes, merits, purchases this blessedness which yet is to be enjoyed, not by all indiscriminatim, or without distinction; but by such alone, as come up to the terms of the Gospel, as he did fully satisfy the strict exactions of that other rigid law, by doing and suffering for their sakes.

2. Naturally, or in genere Physico. In this kind it may be said to be some way causal, that is, to be a causa materialis dispositiva, by a proper positive influence, disposing the subject to this blessedness, which that it shall yet enjoy, is wholly to be resolved into the divine good pleasure, but it is put by this holy rectitude into that temper, and posture that it may enjoy it, through the Lord's gracious vouchsafement; when without it, it were naturally impossible that any should. An unrighteous impure soul, is in a natural indisposition to see God or be blessed in him. That depraved temper averts it from him, the steady bent of its will is set another way, and it is a contradiction that any (in sensu composito) should be happy against their wills, that is, while that aversion of will yet remains. The unrighteous banish themselves from God, they shun, and hate his presence. Light and darkness cannot have communion. The sun does but shine, continue to be itself, and the darkness vanishes, and is fled away. When God has so determined that only the pure in heart shall see him, that without holiness none shall; he lays no other law upon unholy souls than what their own impure natures lay upon themselves. If therefore it should be inquired, why may not the unrighteous be subjects of this blessedness, see God, and be satisfied with his likeness, as well as the righteous; the question must be so answered, as if it were inquired, why does wood admit the fire to pass upon it, suffer its flames to insinuate themselves till they have introduced its proper form, and turned it into their own likeness: but we see water does not so, but violently resists its first approaches and declines all commerce with it? The natures of these agree not. And is not the contrariety here as great? We have then the qualified subject of this blessedness; and are next to consider this blessedness itself.