taught by the infallible Spirit of God himself, saying, by his apostle, "Therefore as by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life. For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous ":" which, I think, makes this whole doctrine as plain and certain as words can make it; and, therefore, we need not insist any longer upon the explication of it. But I must not forget what I promised to shew in the last place, even in what sense, or wherefore, Christ is said to be "raised again for our justification:" which may be soon dispatched; for Christ having in our nature been obedient, even unto death itself, and so fulfilled the law, and satisfied the justice of God for us, it was necessary for our justification that he should still continue to apply his merits to us for that purpose; which he could not have done, if he had not risen again, and gone up to heaven, there as our advocate to appear in the presence of God for us'. And therefore St. Paul lays the main stress of our justification upon this, saying, "Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifieth. Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us." "Yea rather, that is risen again:" implying, that all which he had done and suffered in our nature would have stood us in no stead, if he had not risen again, and ascended to heaven to make intercession, by the virtue of what he had so done and suffered for us; without which, notwithstanding all that he hath merited for us, no man could ever have been justified or saved by him; for, as the apostle saith, "He is able to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them "." And, therefore, it may well be said, that, as Rom. v. 18, 19. 7 Heb. ix. 24. Heb. vii. 25. he "was delivered for our offences, he was raised again for our justification." Now from this doctrine, thus briefly explained, we may easily observe, that it is so far from encouraging men in vice and wickedness, as some have ridiculously imagined, that it is the greatest encouragement in the world to virtue and good works. No man in his right wits can be emboldened by this to continue in his sin, or the neglect of his duty to God, seeing that, although he can be justified only by his faith in Christ, yet he cannot be justified by any faith but that whereby he is sanctified also at the same time; though he can be accounted righteous before God only by the righteousness which he hath in Christ, yet he can never be accounted so in him, unless he be made sincerely righteous in himself: for he is not in him if he was, he could not but be a new and holy creature; and all that are not so, may be confident they do not believe in Christ aright. Whatsoever they may fancy, their faith is nought; it is not a quick and lively, but a dead and rotten faith; or, rather, it is not faith at all, such as the gospel requires; and so they will find at the last day, when all men shall be judged according to their works, as the Judge himself hath foretold us'. They who have not fed the hungry, nor clothed the naked; they who have lived all along in sin, and neglected their duty to God and their neighbour; they shall be condemned as criminals, as having lived in the continual breach of God's laws; which they could not have done, if they had truly believed in Christ. But they who exercise themselves continually in good works, in works of piety, justice, and charity, they shall be justified, though not for their works, yet by their faith in Christ, which will be itself justified and demonstrated to have been true and right, in that it produced such works. But why do I speak of that? This doctrine is so far from encouraging men in sin, that it is the strongest 'Matt. xxv. 34, &c. motive, and the greatest encouragement, we can have to do good. We cannot but be all sensible of our own natural weakness, that we are not sufficient of ourselves to think any thing as of ourselves, and, therefore, if we look no farther than ourselves, we may justly despair of ever doing any good work. Our only support and comfort is, that the grace of Christ is sufficient for us; that in him we have both righteousness and strength; such strength, that "we can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth us." But although we can do all things by him, yet seeing it is we that do it, we, corrupt and frail creatures, we cannot but be conscious to ourselves that, notwithstanding his assistance, we can do nothing as we ought,-nothing so exactly as the law requires; but, do what we can, we still come short of it, both in not doing so much good as we might, and in doing nothing so well as we should. So that should God be extreme to mark what we do amiss, he may justly condemn us for something that is amiss in the best action we ever did. But why, then, should we trouble our heads about doing good, when after all we can do nothing that is truly so; but, when we have done all we can, we are still but where we were, guilty and obnoxious to the judgment of God? For my own part, could I have no other righteousness but my own, no other but what I could attain to in myself, I should never think it worth my while to look after any at all, for I am sure I could never attain it. But when we consider that, although we cannot have any in ourselves, yet we may have perfect righteousness in Christ our Saviour; and, if we sincerely endeavour to be as righteous as we can, and believe in him for it, he will make up the defect of ours with his righteousness, so that all we do shall be acceptable to God through him, and we ourselves also accounted righteous in him, before the Judge of the whole world, this must needs inspire us with holy desires, and make us "stedfast, unmoveable, always 2 Phil. iv. 13. 3 1 Pet. ii. 5. abounding in the work of the Lord, as knowing that our labour shall not be in vain in the Lord." Wherefore let us now resolve to take this course, seeing the eternal Son of God is become our Saviour, our all-sufficient, our almighty Saviour; seeing he was delivered for our offences, and raised again for our justification, let us make it our constant care and study to offend God no more, but to walk in all his commandments, and in all his ordinances, to the utmost of our power, blameless; but, when we have done all we can, let us believe and trust only in our ever blessed Saviour both for the pardon of our sins, and for God's acceptance of us as righteous in him; and then we need not fear; for, being justified by faith, we shall have peace with God through Jesus Christ our Lord; to whom, with the Father and Holy Ghost, be all honour and glory, now and for ever. 4 1 Cor. xv. 58. SERMON XIX. CHRIST'S ASCENSION INTO HEAVEN PREPARATORY TO OURS. JOHN xiv. 2, 3. "In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. I And if go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also." 66 OUR blessed Saviour having acquainted his disciples that he must now leave them, and observing that they were much concerned and troubled at it, he takes occasion from thence to direct them how to keep their hearts from being too much cast down at the apprehension of that or any other trouble that might befal them in this world, even by exercising their faith on him; "Let not your heart be troubled," saith he: ye believe in God, believe also in me." Whereby he hath plainly discovered two things to us: first, that it is his will and pleasure that his disciples should never suffer their hearts to be ruffled or discomposed at any trouble or affliction they meet with here below, but that they should walk through all the changes and chances of this mortal life with an even frame and temper of mind, equally ready to do, or to suffer, whatsoever God shall see good to require of them, or lay upon them, saying, "Let not your heart be troubled;" and then, secondly, that the most effectual means to do this is |