THE

BLESSEDNESS OF THE RIGHTEOUS.

PSALM XVII. 15.

AS FOR ME, I WILL BEHOLD THY FACE IN RIGHTEOUSNESS: I SHALL BE SATISFIED WHEN I AWAKE WITH THY LIKENESS.

CHAPTER I.

& PROEMIAL DISCOURSE. A REFLECTION UPON SOME FOREGOING VERSES OF THE PSALM, BY WAY OF INTRODUCTION TO THE TEXT. A CONSIDERATION OF ITS SOMEWHAT VARIOUS READINGS, AND OF ITS LITERAL IMPORTANCE. A DISCUSSION OF ITS REAL IMPORTANCE SO FAR AS IS NECESSARY TO THE SETTLING THE SUBJECT OF THE PRESENT DISCOURSE.

THE Continual mixture of good and evil in this present | state of things, with its uncertain fluctuations, and subjection to perpetual changes, do naturally prompt a considering mind to the belief and hope of another, that may be both more perfect and more permanent. For certainly it could never be a design adequate (or any way agreeable) to the Divine wisdom and goodness, that the blessed God should raise such a thing as this lower creation out of nothing, only to give himself the temporary pleasure of beholding the alternate joys and sorrows of (the best part thereof) his reasonable creatures seated in it: nor a delight at all proportionable to an eternally happy Being, when he hath connaturalized such a creature to this sensible world; only to take notice how variously the passions he hath planted in him, may be moved and stirred by the variety of occasions which he shall thence be presented with; and what sudden and contrary impressions may be made upon his easy passive senses, by the interchanged strokes and touches of contrary objects; how quickly he can raise him into a transport of high contentment and pleasure, and then how soon he can again reduce him to a very paroxysm of anguish and despair. It would discover us to have very vile and low thoughts of God, if we did not judge it altogether unanswerable to his perfections, to design no further thing in creating this world, and placing such a creature as man in it, than only to please himself for a while with such a spectacle, and then at last clear the stage, and shut up all again in an eternal, silent darkness. If we could suppose a man furnished with such power, he would surely add little to the reputation of his being wise or good beyond other men, by a design so to use it. Much less can we think it worthy of God to perpetuate such a state of things as this, and continue a succession of such persons and actions as we now behold in the world, through eternal generations, only to perpetuate to himself the same pleasure in the exercise of his immense power upon created natures, over which he hath so infinite advantage.

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hardly with the best; and that such souls, whose mere love and devotedness to him had made them abandon the pleasures of this life, and run through whatsoever difficulties for his sake, should fare worse than the very worst; were, beyond all the rest, most utterly unimaginable, and a thought which Pagan reason hath not known how to digest or entertain. If (saith one, and he speaks the sense of many others, as well as his own) with the dissolution of our bodies, the essence of the soul, whatsoever that be should be dissolved too, and forever cease to be any thing, I know not how I can account them blessed, that never having enjoyed any good as the reward of their virtue, have even perished for virtue itself.

Wherefore it is consequent, that this present state is only intended for a trial to the spirits of men, in order to their attainment as of a better state in a better world: that is, inasmuch as the infinitely wise and blessed God had given being to such a creature as man, in which both worlds (the material and the immaterial) did meet; and who, in respect of his earthly and spiritual natures, had in him somewhat suitable to each. And whereas this creature had lost (with his interest) his very inclination to the spiritual objects and enjoyments of the purer immaterial world, (wherein alone his true blessedness could consist,) suffered a vile depression of his spirit unto this gross corporeal world, and hereby brought himself under a necessity of being miserable, his nobler part having nothing now to satisfy it, but what it was become unsuitable and disaffected to. His merciful Creator, being intent upon his restitution, thought fit not to bring it about by a sudden and violent hand; (as it were to catch him into heaven against his will;) but to raise his spirit into its just dominion and sovereignty in him, by such gradual methods as were most suitable to a rational, intelligent nature; that is, to discover to him, that he had such a thing as spirit about him; whence it was fallen, how low it was sunk, to what state it was yet capable to be raised, and what he had designed and done for its happy recovery. And hence, by And indeed nothing can be more unconceivable, than the secret and powerful insinuations of his own light and that the great Creator and Author of all things should grace, to awaken his drowsy and slumbering reason, and frame a creature of so vast comprehension as the spirit of incline his perverse and wayward will to the consideration man, put into it a capacity of knowing and conversing and choice of such things as that felicity consists in; with himself, give it some prospect of his own glory and which that better world can afford, and his better part enjoy. blessedness; raise thereby, in many, boundless unsatisfied And while he propounds such things to him, how readesires after him, and unexpressible pleasure in the pre-sonable and agreeable was it, that he should keep him conceived hope of being received into the communion of sometimes under a just probation, (yea, how much was that glory and blessedness; and yet defeat and blast so great an expectation, by the unsuspected reducement of the very subject of it again to nothing. Yea, and that he should deal herein (as in that case he must) the most & Ει μεν ουν αμα τοις σώμασι διαλυομενοις και το της ψυχης ο τι δε ποτε | SOTIV EKELVO Ovvdiaλvera, &c. Dionys, Halicar. Antiq. Rom. lib. 8.

there in it of a gracious and compassionate indulgence, often to renew the trial,) whether he would yet bestir himself, and (having so great hopes before him, and such helps and aids afforded him, and ready to be afforded) apply, at

for their own time; and when they can live no longer in their persons, they may in their posterity, and leave not strangers, but their numerous offspring, their heirs. Is it not enough that their avarice be gratified, except their malice be also? that they have whatsoever they can conceive desirable for themselves, unless they may also infer whatever they can think mischievous on me?" To this description of his enemies, he ex opposito, subjoins some account of himself in this his closure of the Psalm: As for me. Here he is at his statique point; and, after some appearing discomposure, his spirit returns to a consistency, in consideration of his own more happy state, which he opposes and prefers to theirs, in the following respects. That they were wicked, he righteous. "I will behold thy face in righteousness." That their happiness was worldly, terrene, such only as did spring from the earth; his heavenly and divine, such as should result from the face and image of God. Theirs present, temporary, compassed within this life; his future, everlasting, to be enjoyed when he should awake. Theirs partial, defective, such as would but grat ify their bestial part, fill their bellies; his adequate, complete, (the ivdaipovia Tov ovvérov,) such as should satisfy the man. "I shall be satisfied," &c.

last, his intellectual and elective powers, to mind and | As if in all this he had pleaded thus: "Lord, thou hast close with so gracious overtures, in order to his own abundantly indulged those men already, what need they eternal advancement and blessedness? Nor was it an un- more? They have themselves, from thy unregarded bounreasonable expectation that he should do so. For, how-ty, their own vast swollen desires sufficiently filled, enough ever the temporal good and evil that may constantly affect his sensitive part and powers be present and near, but the eternal misery or blessedness of his soul, future and remote; yet, inasmuch as he is capable of understanding the vast disproportion of time and eternity, of a mortal flesh and an immortal spirit, how preposterous a course were it, and unworthy of a man; yea, how dishonourable and reproachful to his Maker, should he prefer the momentary pleasures of narrow, incapacious sense, to the everlasting enjoyments of an enlarged comprehensive spirit! or, for the avoiding the pains and miseries of the former kind, incur those of the latter! Whence also the holy God doth not expect and require only, that men should make that wiser choice; but doth most justly lay the weight of their eternal states upon their doing or not doing so. And in that day when he shall render to every one according to their works, make this the rule of his final judgment, to allot to them, who by a patient continuance in well-doing seek for honour, glory, and immortality, eternal life. To the rest, indignation and wrath, tribulation and anguish, &c. and that whether they be Jews or Gentiles. Nor is it a new thing in the world, that some among the children of men should in this comply with the righteous will of God, and so judge and choose for themselves, as he is pleased to direct and prescribe. 'Tis a course approved by the con-paring the original and translation noted in the margin") current suffrage of all them, in all times and ages, into whose minds the true light hath shined, and whom God hath inspired with that wisdom whereby he maketh wise to salvation. That numerous assembly of the perfected spirits of the just, have agreed in this common resolution; and did in their several generations, ere they had passed this state of trial, with an heroic magnanimity, trample this present world under their feet, and aspire to the glory of the world to come; relieving themselves against all the grievances they have suffered from such, whose portion is in this life, with the alone hope and confidence of what they were to enjoy in another.

And hereof we have an eminent and illustrious instance in this context, where the ground is laid of the following discourse. For introduction whereto, observe that -the title speaks the Psalm a prayer of David. The matter of the prayer is, preservation from his enemies. Not to go over the whole Psalm, we have in the 13 and 14 verses, the sum of his desires, with a description of the persons prays to be delivered from: in which description every character is an argument to enforce his prayer.

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From the wicked: q. d. they are equally enemies to thee and me; not more opposite to me by their cruelty, than by their wickedness they are to thee. Vindicate, then, at once thyself and deliver me.

Thy sword, thy hand. Thou canst as easily command and manage them, as a man may wield his sword, or move his hand. Wilt thou suffer thine own sword, thine own hand, to destroy thine own servant.

Men of the world, which have their portion in this life: time and this lower world bound all their hopes and fears. They have no serious believing apprehensions of any thing beyond this present life; therefore have nothing to withhold them from the most injurious violence, if thou withhold them not: men that believe not another world, are the ready actors of any imaginable mischiefs and tragedies

The variety of rendering this verse (to be seen by comneed not give us any trouble, the differences not being of great moment, nor our own reading liable to exception The word on about which is the greatest diversity, hath the significancy we here give it, in the second commandment, and constantly elsewhere. And then, what more proper English can this text be capable of, than it hath in our Bibles? Each word hath its true and genuine import; and the syntax is sufficiently regular and grammatical of the whole. Only as to the former, that usual and obvious observation must here have place; that the prefixed to pay and which with it we read in righteousness, doth often signify among its various acceptations, by or through; and that not only as denoting instrumentality, but more at large, the place of any medium necessary to the attainment of the end it subserves to; whence the same use of the Greek v, that answers thereunto, is wont to go for a Hebraism.

And as to the latter, the only thing liable to controversy, is whether the gerunds is to be construed with the person speaking, when I awake; or in my awaking, or with the thing; the likeness or image spoken of in the awaking of thine image, or when thine image shall awake: and I conceive we need not discuss it, but following our own translation, leave the judgment of it to the ear itself, which, (as Elihu tells us,) trieth words.

In the meantime, the rea. importance of this scripture more calls for discussion than the literal; concerning which, a threefold inquiry will be necessary for the settling the subject of the following discourse.-1. What relation this righteousness must be understood to have to the vision of God's face, and the other consequent blessedness.-2 What time or state awaking refers to, and-3. What is intended by the likeness of God. To the first. It is only necessary to say at present, that the already noted import of the prepositions in being supposed most suitable to this text, (as apparently it is,) righteousness must be looked upon in reference to this vision, not as in an idle or merely casual concomitancy, or as an unconcerned circumstance, that hath nothing to do with the business spoken of; but as in a close and intimate connexion therewith; being, 1. antecedent, 2. conducible, 3. necessary thereto. Nor can I better express its place, and reference to it, generally and in one word, than in saying it qualifies for it; which how it doth, will be more proper to consider hereafter. It may now suffice to say, those words give us the qualified sub

less; the Syriac mistook, it seems,non för ON and so read that word faith which we read likeness.

f Hieronymus (juxta Hebr.) reads the words exactly as we do: Ego in justitia videbo faciem tuam, implebor, cum evigilavero, similitudine ta g seems best to be rendered here, by, or through righteousness, as by the condition in which he may expect the return of God's mercies here, or the eter nal vision of him hereafter, &c. So the learned Dr. Ilammond, Annot. in loc. quoting also Castellio to the same purpose.

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resemble rest than trouble.

I conceive it less exceptionable to refer awaking to the blessed state of saints after this life. For, that saints, at that time when this was writ, had the knowledge of such a state, (indeed a saint not believing a life to come, is a perfect contradiction,) no doubt can be made by any that hath ever so little read and compared the Old and New Testament. We are plainly told, that those excellent persons mentioned in the famous roll, lived by that faith, which was the substance of things hoped for, and the evidence of things not seen. That of them, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, while they lived in Canaan, yet sought a better, a heavenly country, confessing themselves pilgrims, and strangers on earth. We know it was the more general belief of the Jews in our Saviour's time. And whence should they have it, but from the Old Testament? Thither L our Saviour remits them to search it out, and the way to it. The apostle Saint Paulk gives it as the common faith of the twelve tribes, grounded upon the promise made to their forefathers; and thence prudentially he herein states the cause wherein he was now engaged; supposing it would be generally resented, that he should be called in question for avowing (only) so known and received a truth. Sure they were beholden to these sacred writings they had then among them, for so common a belief; and since it is out of question, from our Saviour's express words, they do contain the ground of that belief; what cause have we to be so shy of so interpreting scriptures that have a fair aspect that way? It is, that we can devise to fasten here and there another sense upon divers such? I wonder what one text can be mentioned in all the Old Testament to this purpose, wherein one may not do so. And what then would be the tendency of this course, but to deny in all the particulars, what, upon so clear evidence, we are in the general forced to admit ? and to put Moses, and Abraham, and David, in a lower class than Pythagoras, and Socrates, and Plato? And I think it would not be easy to find one text in all that part of the Bible, where both the words thereof, and the context, do more fairly comply, than in this, so as not only to admit, but even to invite, that interpretation.

ject of this blessedness, "I in righteousness," a righteous | the righteous man's, his own; which he expected not to person as such. To the second: Taking it for granted, be till he should awake, i. e. not till after this life. that none will understand this awakening as opposed to Thirdly. It is further to be inquired, how we are here to natural sleep; in the borrowed or tropical sense, it must understand the likeness of God? I doubt not but we are be understood to intend either some better state in this to understand by it, his glory. And the only difficulty life, in comparison whereof the Psalmist reckons his pre- which it will be necessary at present to consider about it, sent state but as a sleep; or the future state of blessedness is, whether we are to take it objectively, or subjectively; in the other life. There have been some who have under- for the glory to be represented to the blessed soul, or the stood it of the former, and thought the Psalmist to speak glory to be impressed upon it; the glory which it is to only of a hoped freedom from his present temporal afflic- behold, or the glory it shall bear. And I conceive the tions; but then, that which will be implied, seems not so difference is more easily capable of accommodation, than specious: that trouble and affliction should be signified by of a strict decision on either part. By face is undoubtedly the necessarily pre-supposed sleep, which sure doth more meant objective glory, and that in its most perfect representation; the face being, as we know with men, the chief seat of aspectable majesty and beauty. Hence when Moses desires to see God's glory, though he did vouchsafe some discovery of it, yet he tells him his face cannot be seen. Here upon, therefore, the next expression, thy likeness, might the more plausibly be restrained to subjective glory, so as to denote the image of God now in its most perfect impression, on the blessed soul. But that I insist not on. Supposing, therefore, that what is signified by face, be repeated over again in this word likeness, yet I conceive the expression is not varied in vain; but having more to say than only that he expected a state of future vision, viz. that he assured himself of satisfaction too, another word was thought fit to be used, that might signify also somewhat that must intervene in order to that satisfaction. "Tis certain the mere objective representation and consequent intuition of the most excellent (even the Divine) glory, cannot satisfy a soul remaining disaffected and unsuitable thereunto. It can only satisfy, as being represented; it forms the soul into the same image, and attempers it to itself, q. d. "I expect hereafter to see the blessed face of God, and to be myself blessed or satisfied by his glory, at once appearing to me, and transfusing itself upon me." In short, therefore, I understand by that term, the glory of God as transforming, or as impressive of itself. If therefore glory, the object of the soul's vision, shall by any be thought to be intended in it, I contend not; supposing only, that the object be taken not materially, or potentially only, for the thing visibly in itself considered: but formally, and in esse actuali objecti, that is, as now, actually impressing itself, or as connoting such an impression upon the beholding soul; for so only is it productive of such a pleasure and satisfaction to it, as must ensue. As in this form of speech, "such a man takes pleasure in knowledge," it is evident knowledge must be taken there both objectively, for the things known, and subjectively, for the actual perception of those things; inasmuch as, apparently, both must concur to work him delight. So it will appear, to any one that attentively considers it, glory must be taken in that passage,m "We rejoice in hope of the glory of God." 'Tis divine glory both revealed and received; his exhibition and communication of it, according to his immensity; and our participation of it, according to our measure, that must concur to our eternal satisfaction. Herein the Platonic adagen hath evident truth in it; Pleasure is here certainly made up of something finite and something infinite, meeting together. "Tis not (as the philosopher speaks) a twoison, but a TnT TI; not any thing separate from the soul, but something it possesses, that can make it happy. 'Tis not happy by an incommunicate happiness, nor glorious by an incommunicate glory. Indeed, the discovery of such a glory to an inglorious, unholy soul, must rather torment than satisfy. The future glory of saints is therefore called a glory to be revealed in them (or into them, as the word signifies.) And in the foregoing words, the apostle assures Christ's fellow-sufferers, that they shall be glorified together with him. Surely the notation of that word, the formal notion of glorification, cannot import so little as only to be a spectator of glory; it must signify a being made glorious.

For the term awake, about which the present inquiry is, how apt and obvious is the analogy between our awaking out of natural sleep, and the holy soul's rising up out of the darkness and torpor of its present state, into the enlivening light of God's presence? It is truly said so to awake, at its first quitting these darksome regions, when it lays aside its cumbersome night-vail. It doth so more perfectly, in the joyful morning of the resurrection-day, when mortality is swallowed up in life, and all the yet hovering shadows of it are vanished and fled away. And how known and usual an application this is of the metaphorical terms of sleeping and awaking in holy writ, I need not tell them who have read the Bible. Nor doth this interpretation less fitly accord to the other contents of this verse: for to what state do the sight of God's face, and satisfaction with his likeness, so fully agree, as to that of future blessedness in the other world? But then the contexture of discourse in this and the foregoing verse together, seems plainly to determine us to this sense: for what can be more conspicuous in them, than a purposed comparison and opposition of two states of felicity mutually each to other? That of the wicked, whom he calls men of time, (as the words are rendered by one, and do literally signify,) and whose portion, he tells us, is in this life: and

Nor is the common and true maxim otherwise intelligible, that grace and glory differ only in degree. For certainly it could never enter into the mind of a sober man (though how dangerously some speak, that might possibly have

m Rom. v. 2.

n Voluptatis generatio est ex infiniti et finiti copulatione.
o Rom. viii. 18. eis nuas.

been so if too much learning had not made them mad, will | whom it belongs, wherein it consists, and when it shall be be animadverted in its place,) that objective glory, and enjoyed. grace in saints, were the same specific (much less the First, then, we begin with the consideration of the subsame numerical) thing. 'Tis true, that Scripture often ex-ject unto whom this blessedness appertains. And we find presses the future blessedness, by vision of God. But where it expressed in the text, in these only words, “ I; in rightethat phrase is used to signify it alone, 'tis evident, (as within ousness;" which amounts to as much as, a righteous perthe lower regions of grace, words of knowledge do often son as such. They represent to us the subject of this blessimply affection, and correspondent impressions on the soul) edness in its proper qualifications; wherein our business it must be understood of affective transformative vision, is to consider his qualification, righteousness, under which such as hath conformity to God most inseparably conjunct notion only he is concerned in the present discourse; and with it. And, that we might understand so much, they about which, two things are to be inquired-What it imare elsewhere both expressly mentioned together, as joint ports, and-How it qualifies. ingredients into a saint's blessedness; as in those words so full of clear and rich sense: "When he shall appear, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is." Which text I take for a plain comment upon this; and methinks it should not easily be supposable, they should both speak so near the same words, and not intend the same sense.You have in both, the same season, "When he shall appear, When I shall awake:" the same subject, The righteous person born of God; (compare the close of the former chapter with the beginning of this ;) and, "I in righteousness;" the same vision, "We shall see him as he is, I shall behold his face:" the same assimilation, "We shall be like him; I shall be satisfied with his likeness" (concerning the xéois or habitude this vision and assimilation mutually have to one another, there will be consideration had in its place.) I therefore conceive neither of these notions of the Divine likeness to exclude the other. If it be inquired, which is principally meant? That needs not be determined. If the latter, it supposes the former; if the former, it infers the latter. Without the first, the other cannot be; without the other, the first cannot satisfy.

If any yet disagree to this interpretation of this text, let them affix the doctrine propounded from it, to that other last mentioned, (which only hath not the express mention of a consequent satisfaction, as this hath; whence, therefore, as being in this respect fuller, my thoughts were pitched upon this.) Only withal let it be considered how much more easy it is to imagine another sense, and suppose it possible, than to disprove this, or evince it impossible.How far probable it is, must be left to the judgment of the indifferent with whom it may not be insignificant to add, that thus it hath been understood by interpreters (I might adventure to say the generality) of all sorts. However, the few annexedp (for I neither apprehend the necessity, nor have the present conveniency, of alleging many) will suffice to avoid any imputation of singularity or novelty.

CHAPTER II.

A summary proposal of the doctrine contained in this scripture. A distri: subject. 2. The nature. 3. The season of the blessedness here spoken of The first of these taken into consideration where the qualification, right

bution of it into three distinct heads of discourse: viz: 1. The qualified

ousness, 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 the 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 resulteth thence. In which summary account of the doctrine here contained, three general heads of discourse offer themselves to our view:-The subject, the nature, and the season of this blessedness:-Or to

p Agitur de resurrectione et manifestatione gloriæ cœlestis. Ruffin in loc.Cum apparuerit gloria tua, i. e. gloria resurrectionis. Bed. Comment. in Psalm. How the Jews were wont to understand it, may be seen at one view in that of Petrus Galatinus in loc. Duo mi Capnio me hic per priscas Judæorum Scripturas ostendere hortaris, et generalem mortuorum resurrectionem futu ram esse et eam per Messiam factum iri, primum itaque patet non solum per sacræ scripture testimonia verum etiam per Talmudistarum dicta. Nam illud quidem, Psal. xvii dictum ego in justitia-&c. sic exponunt, et presertim Rabbi Abraham Aven Ezra et Rabbi Solomo, &c. And so he goes on to recite their words, De Arcanis Catholicm veritatis.

Opponis hæc, iis quæ de impiis dixerat. Illi Sapiunt terrena Saturantur filiis et portionem suam in hac vita ponunt, mihi vero contempta est hæc vita; ad futuram festino, ubi non in divitiis, sed in justitia videbo, non terrena hæc transitura, sed ipsam faciem tuam, nec saturabor in filiis carnis sed cum evigilavero tua similitudine, sicut. 1 Joh. iii. 2.-Cum apparuerit, &c. Luth. in Psal.

Resurgam e mortuis-videbo de perfectissime sicut es, Similis ero tibi. Jun. and Tremel on Psalm 17.

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 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 avoμia, ba 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 co-extent righteousness is, in the scripture notion of it, to the whole law of God, that one passage sufficiently discovers; where 'tis said of Zacharias and Elisabeth, d that they were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless. 'Tis 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 duty 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, that 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, hath a much higher sphere, peculiar and appropriate in 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 whereto it stands; which must needs be some law of God. There

Mollerus thinks it ought not to be restrained to life eternal, but saith, some up derstand of the glory, quâ ornabuntur pii in vitâ æternâ. And adds,-et qedem non male In. Ego vero et omnes electi tui-pie et juste vivimus in hoc se culo, ut aliquando in futuro sæculo videamus faciem tuam, et ea satiemar cam sc. a pulvere terræ evigilaverimus et reformati fuerimus ad similitudinem Christi tui. Seb Munster in notis in loc.

Cum ego ad imaginem tuam conditus resurrexero. Vatablus though he adds, alii ad resurrectionem non referunt.

De futuræ vitæ felicitate ait, satiabor quum expergiscar, i. e. quum resursam e mortuis Similitudine tuâ, hoc est videbo de perfectissime, sicuti es; et Simalis ero tibi quum patefactus Christus glorioso adventu suo. 1 John ini. 2. Fabrit Conc. in Psal. 17. ult.

Describit his verbis Psalmographus beatitudenem æternam filiorum Dei. Gesnerus in loc. a 1 John i. 9. b 1 John iii. 4. • Εν δε δικαιοσύνη συλλήβδην πασ' αρετ' εστί. d Luke i. 5, 6.

hath 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, viz. the law of faith; not 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, attempered to the state of fallen sinners, by evangelical mitigations and indulgence, by the superadded 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 super-added 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 hath the Lord recompensed me according to my righteousness. In the latter to sin, with which the apostle makes unrighteousness co-extent, in these words, If we say we have no sin, we deceive our selves, &c. 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 divers. For wherein it enjoins the former of these, the essence of this righteousness, in opposition to a total absence thereof, it is constitative of the terms of salvation, and obligeth under the penalty of eternal death. So are faith, repentance, love, subjection, &c. required: If ye believe not that I am he, ye shall die in your sins. He that believeth not is condemned already.-The wrath of God abideth on him.-If ye repent not, ye shall all likewise perish. Repent, that your sins may be blotted out.-Him hath God exalted to be a prince and a Saviour, to give repentance and remission of sins. If any man love not the Lord Jesus Christ, let him be anathema maran-atha. He that loveth father or mother more than me, is not worthy of me, &c. If any man come to me, and hate not his father and mother, and wife and children, and brethren and sisters, yea, and his own life also, (that is, as the former scripture expounds this, loves them not less than me,) he cannot be my disciple; i. e. while he remains in that temper of mind he now is of, he must needs be wholly unrelated unto me, and incapable of benefit by me, as well as he is indocible, 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 them that obey him; and will come in flaming fire to take vengeance of those that know not God, and obey not his gospel; who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, &c. Where it is only the sincerity of those several requisites, that is under so severe penalty exacted and called for; inasmuch as he that is sincerely a believer, a 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, viz. all the subsequent duty, through the whole course whereof the already sincere soul must be tending towards perfection; though it bind not thereto 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 less 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.-Yea, and while they are short of perfect holiness, their blessedness is imperfect also; which is to be acknowledged a very grievous penalty, but unconceivably short of what befalls them that are simply unrighteous. That it obliges thus diversely, is evident; for it doth not adjudge unto eternal death without remedy, for the least defect; for then what other law should relieve against the sentence of this? or wherein were this a relieving law? Yet doth 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 (unless we will have the law of nature to stand by itself as a distinct law, both from that of works, and of grace; which is not necessary; but as it did at first belong to the former, so it doth now to the latter, as shall further be shown by and oy.) 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, inasmuch as all have sinned. And besides, it should oblige to cast off all regard to Christ, and to seek blessedness without him; yea, and it should oblige to a natural impossibility, to a contradiction, to make that not to have heen, which hath been; a sinner to seek happiness by never having sinned. It cannot therefore entirely, in its own form, as it was at first made and laid upon man, be of present and continuing obligation to him. But in what part and respect it is, or is not, comes now more distinctly to be shown. Here know, the law of nature, with fit additionals, became one formed constitution; which being violated by the apostacy, became unuseful to the end it was made for, the containing of man within the bounds of such duty as should be conjunct with his blessedness. Therefore was the new constitution of the law of grace made and settled, which alters, adds to, takes from it, relaxes, or re-enforces it, according as the matter of it, the exigency of man's case, and God's gracious purpose and design, could admit, and did require. For the promise, (implied in the threatening) it ceased; sin having disobliged the promiser. For the precept, the expressed positive part is plainly abrogated. For the natural part, as it was not necessary, so nor was it possible it should be so; its foundations being more stable than heaven and earth. For the commination, we must understand two things in it: first, that for every transgression, a proportionable punishment must become due: secondly, that this debt be in event exacted; or, that God do actually inflict the deserved penalty entirely and fully upon the offending person.

The former of these is in the strictest and most proper sense natural, and therefore also unalterable. This dueness arising immediately from the relation of a reasonable creature offending, to his Maker. Whence also it is discernible to mere natural light. Pagans are said (Rom. i. 32.) to have known the righteous judgment of God, that they who commit such things (as are there mentioned) are worthy of death. And hence was the mention and dread of a Nemesis, and an erdirov oppa, a vindictive Deity, and a revengeful eye, over them, so frequent with them. "If therefore (as the learned Grotius speaks) there had never been a penal law; yet a human act, having in itself a pravity, whether intrinsical, from the immutable nature of the thing;