where. (3.) If this righteousness, be the fulfilling of the condition of the new covenant whereon we are justified, it must be in itself such as exactly answereth some rule or law of righteousness and so be perfect, which it doth not; and therefore cannot bear the place of a righteousness in our justification. (4) That this righteousness is the condition of our justification before God, or of that interest in the righteousness of Christ whereby we are justified, is not proved, nor ever will be.

I shall briefly add two or three considerations excluding this personal righteousness from its pretended interest in our justification, and close this argument.

1. That righteousness which neither answereth the law of God, nor the end of God in our justification by the gospel, is not that whereon we are justified. But such is this inherent righteousness of believers, even of the best of them. (L.) That it answereth not the law of God, hath been proved from its imperfection. Nor will any sober person pretend that it exactly and perfectly fulfils the law of our creation. And this law cannot be disannulled whilst the relation of Creator and Rewarder on the one hand, and of creatures capable of obedience and rewards on the other between God and us doth continue. Wherefore that which answereth not this

law will not justify us. For God will not abrogate that law, that the transgressors of it may be justified. Do we, saith the Apostle (by the doctrine of justification by faith without works) "make void the law? God forbid; yea we establish it," Rom. iii. 31. (2.) That we should be justified with respect unto it, answereth not the end of God in our justification by the gospel. For this is to take away all glorying in ourselves, and all occasion of it, every thing that might give countenance unto it, so as that the whole might be to the praise of his own grace by Christ, Rom. iii. 27, I Cor. i. 29, 30, 81. How it is faith alone that gives glory to God herein, hath been declared in the description of its nature. But it

is evident that no man hath, or can have possibly any other, any greater occasion of boasting in himself, with respect unto his justification, than that he is justified on his performance of that condition of it, which consists in his own personal righteousness.

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2. No man ever was justified by it in his own conscience, much less can be be justified by it in the sight of God. For "God is greater than our hearts and knoweth all things." There is no man so righteous, so holy in the whole world, nor ever was, but his own conscience would charge him in many things with his coming short of the obedience required of him, in matter or manner, in the kind or degrees of perfection. For there is no man that liveth and sinneth not." Let any man be put unto a trial in himself whether he can be justified in his own conscience, by his own righteousness, and he will be cast in the trial at his own judgment seat, And be that doth not thereon conclude, that there must be another righteousness whereby he must be justified, that originally and inherently is not his own, will be at a loss for peace with God. But it will be said, that men may be justified in their consciences, that they have performed the condition of the new covenant, which is all that is pleaded with respect unto this righteousness. And I no way doubt but that men may have a comfortable persuasion of their own sincerity in obedience, and satisfaction in the acceptance of it with God, But it is when they try it, as an effect of faith, whereby they are justified, and not as the condition of their justification, Let it be thus stated in their minds that God requireth a personal righteousness in order unto their justification, whereon their determination must be, this is my righteousness which present unto God that I may be justified, and they will find difficulty in arriving at it, if I be not much mistaken.

3. None of the holy men of old, whose faith and experience are recorded in the Scripture, did ever plead their

own personal righteousness under any notion of it, either as to the merit of their works, or as unto their complete performance of what was required of them as the condition of the covenant in order unto their justification before God. This hath been spoken unto before.

CHAPTER, XI.

The nature of the Obedience that God requireth of us. The eternal obligation of the law thereunto.

OUR second argument shall be taken from the nature

of that obedience or righteousness which God requireth of us, that we may be accepted of him and approved by him. This being a large subject if fully to be handled, I shall reduce what is of our present concernment in it, unto some special heads or observations.

1. God being a most perfect, and therefore a most free Agent, all his actings towards mankind, all his dealings with them, all his constitutions and laws concerning them, are to be resolved into his own sovereign will and pleasure. No other reason can be given of the original, of the whole system of them. This the Scripture testifieth unto, Psal. cxv. 3. cxxxv. 6. Prov. xvi. 4. Eph. i, 9–−11. Rev, iv, 11. The being, existence, and natural circumstances of all creatures, being an effect of the free counsel and pleasure of God, all that belongs unto them must be ultimately resolved thereinto,

2. Upon a supposition of some free acts of the will of God and the execution of them, constituting an order in the.

things that outwardly are of him, and their mutual respect unto one another, some things may become necessary in this relative state, whose being was not absolutely necessary in its own nature. The order of all things and their mutual jespect unto one another, depends on God's free constitution, no less than their being absolutely. But upon a supposition of that constitution, things have in that order, a necessary relation one to another, and all of them unto God. Wherefore,

3. It was a free sovereign act of God's will to create such a creature as man; that is, of a nature intelligent, rational, capable of moral obedience with rewards and punishments. But on supposition hereof, man so freely made, could not be governed any other way than by a moral instrument of law, influencing the rational faculties of his soul unto obedience, and guiding him therein. He could not in that constitution be governed by a mere physical influence, as are all irrational or brute creatures. To suppose it, is to deny or destroy, the essential faculty and powers wherewith he was created. Wherefore on the supposition of his being, it was necessary that a law or rule of obedience should be prescribed unto him, and be the instrument of God's government towards him.

4. This necessary law, so far forth as it was necessary, did immediately and unavoidably ensue upon the constitution of our natures in relation unto God. Supposing the nature, being, and properties of God, with the works of creation on the one hand; and suppose the being, existence and the nature of man, with his necessary relation unto God, on the other, and the law whereof we speak is nothing but the rule of that relation, which can neither be, nor be preserved without it. Hence is this law eternal, indispensible, admitting of no other variation, than doth the relation between God and man, which is a necessary exurgence from their distinct natures and properties.

5. The substance of this law was, that man adhering unto God, absolutely, universally, unchangeably, uninter