Had there been as many worlds created by infinite wisdom, and supported by almighty power, as there are sands upon the sea shore, or atoms in the sun, full of inhabitants, in a state of perfection, continually praising the author of their being, the constant supplier of their happiness, their obedience would be acceptable to the law of GOD; but as to dignity, worth, grandeur and glory, it would bear no comparison with the obedience of CHRIST; as CHRIST'S obedience to the law has all the riches and worth of Deity in it, and is clothed with all the glories of the Godhead; as his name is Immanuel, which, being interpreted, is GOD with us, obeying the law of GOD for us, in our room and stead, in the character of JEHOVAH JESUS; every divine perfection, as well as human purity, did shine forth to GoD, Angels, and men, in every step of his obedience; thereby it is that the law of God is so divinely magnified; hence it is, that CHRIST's righteousness is so available with GOD, so answerable to man; it is so available with GOD, that the Prophet declares, he is well pleased for his righteousness sake, Isaiah xlii. 21. that he views it as the soul's right to Heaven, and its eternal security there; so answerable to man, that it is the sum of his desire-in the Lord have I righteousness-it is the gracious soul's only plea with GOD, therefore he says, in Psalm lxxi. 16. I will make mention of thy righteousness, even of thine only. It is the Church's joy and divine triumph; therefore, says the Holy Ghost, Psalm cxlv. 7. They shall sing of thy righteness, and in Psalm lxxxix. 16. In thy name shall they rejoice all the day: and in thy righteousness shall they be exalted. It is the believer's delightful choice, Philip. iii 9. That I may be found in him, not having on my own righteousness: therefore the believer, with holy courage and divine magnanimity of soul, resolves to meet death and eternity, to approach to GOD, and glory in Christ's righteousness, see Psalm xvii. 15. As for me I will behold thy face in righteousness, I shall be satisfied when I awake in thy likeness; hence it is, that Christ is called, the Lord our righteousness: and such is the perfection of it, that there is no accusation or charge can be brought against that soul that has an interest therein: who shall (says the Apostle, in a kind of holy triumph) lay any thing to the charge of GOD's elect? It is God that justifies them, who is he that condemneth? It is likewise a spotless, and glorious righteousness; for, says the Apostle, he did not sin, neither was guile found in his mouth: hence it is, that Christ can present his people before the throne of God with exceeding great joy; not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing: Thereby the saints in Heaven will shine with greater lustre and brilliancy than the Angels around the throne; inasmuch, as their glories will be infinite in Christ's righteousness, and their beams divine in his perfections. I might observe with much propriety that Christ's righteousness is an eternal, and invariable righteousness; therefore the prophet Daniel says, he hath brought in an everlasting righteousness: herein it exceeds for duration as well as divine perfection, the righteousness of Angels in glory, or Adam in paradise, for their's was the righteousness of creatures, therefore subject to a mutation, upon which change Angels lost their first habitation, and Adam his enjoyment and paradisaical state; but Christ's righteousness is invariable as his name, unchangeable as his nature, durable as his throne, lasting as eternity, their joy and consummate glory thereby, is the same yesterday, to-day, and for ever. But I would observe in the third place, that the death of Christ is the way to Heaven and happiness, the saints sure pavement, and divine path to glory. As sin has eternally barred up our way to Heaven by our obedience, and stopped the passage-way of communion we had with GOD in a state of innocency, and has totally stript us of all righteousness, and every felicity that rendered us happy; as creatures in this labyrinth of woe, which our sins had brought us into, in this abyss of misery we had been eternally lost, if the Lord Jesus Christ had not, in his stupendous love, engaged by his death to remove that curse and wrath that was our due and desert, if he had not by his blood engaged to make propitiation for our sins, to expiate our guilt, to blot out our sins as a cloud, and our iniquities as a thick cloud, with his own blood; therefore says the church, to him that has loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood. The Lord Jesus Christ engaged to bear all our sins, and endure the curse due for them; thereby it is that he saveth us from the wrath that is to come, as his death was an eternal atonement for sin, his sufferings were satisfactory to divine vengeance, his precious blood was a valuable compensation to divine justice, a full and plenary satisfaction to all the demands of a broken law, a full payment of the debt we had by sin contracted, the wrath of Heaven was thereby appeased, a way of life, peace, and joy is opened by his precious blood, communion with Heaven is thereby enjoyed, redemption is thereby sealed, pardon and peace proclaimed, life and salva tion made known, and the glad tidings of great joy found from pole to pole: see the truth of this confirmed by divine argument, Heb. x. 19, 20.-Having, therefore, Brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the Blood of Jesus, by a new and living way which he hath consecrated for us, &c. from hence it is declared in scripture, that we are justified by his blood, and have redemption through his blood, sanctified and have peace through his blood, purged and are washed from our sins in his own blood, we have communion with GoD therein, and an eternal victory over sin, death, and Satan thereby, and they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, Rev. xii. 11. Therefore the apostle Peter stiles it, the precious blood of Christ as of a lamb without spot and blemish; here I would observe that the preciousness of Christ's blood, and the satisfaction of his death, does not so much arise from the purity of his human nature, or the innocency of his sufferings, as from his human nature suffering in union with the divine, thereby the glory of the Deity, the worth of the Godhead is contained in his death and sufferings, the merits of JEHOVAH, the perfections of Deity being in union with the sufferer, it stampt an eternal value upon his death; the divine perfections retained their own properties, and the human nature felt the sufferings, bore the ponderous load of our sins, endured the wrath, and thereby eternally removed the curse from us but the removation of the curse of the law from us guilty sinners is entirely owing to the glories of his divine nature (as the mighty GoD,) dilating and spreading through the sufferings of his human nature such infinite merit,such incomparable worth,——such an intrinsic value, for it is eternally impossible for the sufferings of a created being (though the most glorious and exalted in Heaven or Earth) to give an infinite satisfaction to divine justice,if the breach of JEHOVAH's law be only finite, and the demand for the breach of it no more; then I allow that a created being or a finite sufferer might answer for the offence,--but if the perfections of GOD be infinite, then the breach of his law must be an infinite offence, to an infinite justice, consequently an infinite wrath is deserved--and an infinite satisfaction was demanded when Christ poured out his soul unto death for the offence,--it is an infinite law that we have broke,and Christ's infinite obedience answers its demand; it was an infinite justice that we had offended, and an infinite sufferer satisfied for the offence, by the infinite price of his own blood,- -our nature transgressed and broke the law of Gon, but it was the mighty GoD in our nature that obeyed the law for us; it was the human nature suffering in union with the divine, that made his death meritorious to our salvation; therefore says the apostle, Eph. ii. 13. Ye who were sometimes afar off, are made nigh by the blood of Christ; hence, I would observe, that a man that owes a thousand pounds may as soon pay it with counter pieces, and as justly demand a discharge from his creditor, as that soul can be saved who trusteth in the sacrifice of a created being,—it will as surely deceive him as the counter pieces would deceive any that depend upon them to pay their debts, because they have not the value of gold in them.So the death of Christ, considered as a created being, or a substitute, or made GOD, cannot save one single soul, for as such it has not the worth of Deity in it, therefore it is not infinite, and consequently can never answer for an infinite offence; hence it is plain, without any breach of charity, if truth be truth, that no Arian under the Heaven can be saved, (dying so,) from the wrath that is to come; as they deny the Lord Jesus to be the self-existent JEHOVAH, they thereby depreciate the value of his death; and as to the Socinians their case is the same, for there is no Socinian but what is an Arian; but I leave them to the mercy of him whose infinite glory and royal dignity they despise. But to return, my dear Friendly, I would just observe to you, that all the peace of mind, and tranquillity of soul that I have enjoyed for such a succession of years, has flowed from the infinite value of Christ's blood; my expectation for Heaven is fixed here, my hope for happiness centers in the infinite merit of Christ's death, in the infinite dignity of person, as essentially GoD over all, blessed for evermore; here I rest with joy, here I conquer sin, triumph over death, and rejoice in the views of eternity: Therefore the apostle observes, we are more than conquerors through him that has loved us. But I forbear, lest I trespass upon your patience, and indeed nature silently bids me forbear; see yonder the Sun is set, the evening closes apace, and universal nature begins to draw her silent shades of darkness. Friendly. But my dear Truth, before you withdraw, accept ten thousand warm thanks into your bosom for that love and zeal, that life and vivacity, for that sympathy and concern, for that unknown treasure of joy and happiness, that sea of bliss, and divine felicity you have unfolded to my mind; for I never saw the truth of GOD's word in such a light before, 1 nor felt such a divine solemnity upon my mind, as now I feel; such an energy, such an almighty power, such a divine attraction, that my affections cleave unto the Lord Jesus with full purpose of heart, my will fleeth to him, to whom Lord shall I go but unto thee, for thou hast the words of eternal life? my soul centers in him: whom have I in heaven but thee? surely my soul is made willing in the day of his power, as it willingly bows in obedience to him. Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? Therefore my dear Truth, I have ten thousand enquiries yet to make, concerning my misery by nature, concerning my salvation by Christ, how it is settled in him, and how it flows from him, and what appearances this divine love has made from age to age; I am ready to say, Tho' Night and Darkness now draw near, It's Light, and Life, if I but hear Thy voice, dear Truth, in accents flow, Till then my Heart with Zeal shall burn, |