SERMON XV (2)

In the fulness of time descends the eternal Logos, “In the fulness of time God sent forth his Son made of a woman, made under the law, to redeem them that are under the law from the curse of it, being made a curse for us.” The Lord Jesus Christ being cloathed in human nature, fulfilled all righteousness; he submitted to every institution of God, and was pleased to obey the whole moral law; and afterwards, O can we think of it, O can you hear of it, without a heart leaping with joy, at last the Lord Jesus bled and died! and when he was just expiring, just as he was about to bow down his head, and give up the ghost, what do ye think he said? He said, “It is finished!” As much as to say, “Now the arduous work, the difficult task I had undertaken, blessed be God, is now completely over; all the demands of the law are finished; now God’s justice is satisfied; now a new and living way is opened by my blood to the holiest of all for poor sinners.”

So that when Christ’s righteousness is here spoken of, we are to understand “Christ’s obedience and death,” all that Christ has done, and all that Christ has suffered for an elect world, for all that will believe on him. And blessed be God for this righteousness! blessed be God for the epithet which in the text is put to this righteousness; it might be called a blessed righteousness, it might be called a glorious righteousness; it might be called an invaluable righteousness; but the angel calls it an everlasting righteousness; God give you to take the comfort of it!

Secondly, I am now to shew, on what account, this righteousness is here called an everlasting righteousness; and pray why do you think is Christ’s righteousness called an everlasting righteousness?

I suppose it is called an everlasting righteousness,

First, Because Christ’s righteousness was intended by the great God to extend to mankind even from eternity. All of you know, that old love is the best love. When we have an old acquaintance, a friend, that has loved us for many years, indeed that love is sweet: though we may love new friends, yet when an old friend and a new friend meet together, we may say, that the old is better. Now this should endear God to us, to think that from all the ages of eternity God had thoughts of you; God intended the Lord Jesus Christ to save your souls and mine: hence it is, that God, to endear Jeremiah to him, tells him, I have loved thee with an everlasting love. Hence it is, that the Lord Jesus, when he calls his elect people up to heaven, says, “Come, ye blessed of my Father;” what follows? “receive the kingdom prepared for you;” how long? “from the foundation of the world.” All that we receive in time; all the streams that come to our souls, are but so many streams flowing from that inexhaustible fountain, God’s electing, God’s sovereign, God’s distinguishing, God’s everlasting love; and, therefore, the righteousness of Jesus Christ may properly be called an everlasting righteousness, because God intended it from everlasting.

Secondly, It is called an everlasting righteousness, because the efficacy of Christ’s death took place immediately upon Adam’s fall. Christianity, in one sense, is as old as the creation. Great Professor Franck, of Germany, says, “That Christ is the sum and substance of all righteousness.” Mr. Henry observes, “That the Lord Jesus Christ is the treasure hid in the field of the Old Testament, under the types and shadows of the Mosaic dispensation.” We have the Sun of Righteousness shining in his full meridian in the New Testament dispensation. Now the righteousness of Jesus Christ, may be called an everlasting righteousness, because all the saints that have been saved, or that ever will be saved, are all saved by the righteousness of Christ. A great many censorious people are mighty inquisitive to know, what will become of the heathens, that never heard of Jesus Christ. I would say to such persons, as the Lord Jesus Christ did to another curious enquirer, “What is that to thee? follow thou me.” Pray, for what should you and I trouble ourselves about the heathens? Are not we heathens? It is too true, that we have too much of the heathens temper and practice with us. But why should we lose our time in enquiring about what will become of the heathen, and not rather enquire what will become of our own souls? We may be sure God will deal with heathens according to their light: if he has given them no revelation, they will not be judged by a revelation; if they have not had a law, they will be judged without law. But as for the Jews and Gentiles, who have the gospel revealed to them, however Deists may argue contrary to it; however they may set up reason in opposition to divine revelation; we may be sure none were ever saved, or will be saved, but by the righteousness of Christ. It was through faith in him, that Abel was saved; it was through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, that Abraham was accepted, and that all the prophets of old were accepted; and there is none other name given under heaven, whereby we can be saved, but that of Christ. And therefore, since persons under the law, and under the gospel, are to be saved only through Christ; therefore, Christ’s righteousness may properly be called an everlasting righteousness. But this is not all.

Thirdly, The righteousness of Jesus Christ, is not only to be called an everlasting righteousness, because that all persons under the law, and all persons under the gospel, are saved by it; but because the efficacy thereof, blessed be God for it! is to continue till time shall be no more. Blessed be God for Jesus Christ! the efficacy of whose blood, death, and atonement, is as great and as effectual now to the salvation of poor sinners, as when he bowed his blessed head, and gave up the ghost: “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, to-day, and for ever;” and whosoever believes on him now, whosoever comes to, and accepts of him, shall now see his power, shall taste of his grace, and shall be actually saved by him, the same as if he had been in company with those who saw him expiring.

Fourthly, Christ’s righteousness may be called an everlasting righteousness, because the benefit of it is to endure to everlasting life. Indeed, some people tell us, that a person may be in Christ to-day, and go to the devil to-morrow: but, blessed be God, ye have not so learned Christ! No, my dear friends, thanks be to God for that divine text, “There is now no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus.” Though God’s people may fall foully; and though many are full of doubts and fears, and say, “One day I shall fall by the hands of Saul;” however ye may say in your haste, “All men are liars;” however your poor souls may be harassed, yet no wicked devil, nor your own depraved heart, shall be able to separate you from the love of God: God has loved you, God has fixed his heart upon you, and having loved his own, he loves them unto the end. The Lord of life and of glory, the blessed Jesus, will never cease loving you, till he hath loved and brought you to heaven; when he will rejoice, and say, “Behold me, O my Father, and the dear children that thou hast given me; thou gavest them me; thine they were, I have bought them with my blood, I have won them with my sword and with my bow, and I now will wear them as so many jewels of my crown.” Therefore, Jesus Christ’s righteousness may be called an everlasting righteousness, because those who once take hold of, and are interested in it, shall be saved everlastingly by Christ: “It is God that justifies us, (says St. Paul) who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather that is risen again.” He gives devils the challenge, “O death, where is thy sting, O grave, where is thy victory? Who shall separate us from the love of God? I am persuaded that neither death nor life, neither principalities nor powers, nor any other creature, shall ever be able to seperate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Those whom God justifies, he also glorifies. And because Christ lives, blessed be God, we shall live also. I know not what you may say; but though I trust I have felt the grace of Christ, yet I find that I have as much need to come to Christ every day for fresh strength, as if I had never believed before: and if I was to depend upon my own faithfulness, and not the faithfulness of the Son of God, I am sure I should soon desert the Lord Jesus Christ. But glory be to God, he is faithful that hath promised! Glory be to God, our salvation depends not upon our own free will, but upon God’s free grace! Here is a sure bottom; the believer may build upon it; let the storms blow as long and as high as they please, they may make the poor creature tremble, but blessed be God, they never shall be able to take him off the foundation; though they may shake him, they shall only shake off his corruption: and I believe all that fear God, will be glad to part with it. On all these accounts, Christ’s righteousness may be called an everlasting righteousness.

III. It is said, in my text, that Jesus was to bring it in. What are we to understand by his bringing it in? Our Lord’s promulgating and proclaiming it to the world. Indeed, it was brought in under the law; but then it was brought in under types and shadows, and most of the Jews looked no further. But Jesus Christ brought life and immortality to light by the gospel. The light of Moses was only twilight; the light of the gospel, is like the sun at noon-day, shining in his full meridian. Therefore, Jesus Christ may be said to bring in this everlasting righteousness, because he proclaimed it to the world, and commanded it to be preached, that God sent his Son into the world, that the world through him might be saved.

Again, The Lord Jesus Christ brought in this righteousness, as he wrought it out for sinners upon the cross. Some Antinomians, for want of a proper distinction, run into a grievous error, telling us, Because God intended to justify by the righteousness of Jesus Christ, therefore man is justified from all eternity: which is absurd: a person cannot be justified, till he is actually existing; therefore, though man is justified, as it lies in God’s mind from all eternity, yet it was not actually brought in till the Lord Jesus Christ pronounced those blessed words, “It is finished;” the grand consummation! then Jesus brought it in. A new and a living way was to be opened to the Holy of Holies, for poor sinners, by the blood of Christ. But I do not think that the expression, brought in, is to be limited to this sense, though I suppose it is the primary one; it implies not only Christ’s bringing it into the world, as promulgating, and having it written in the word of God, and as having wrought it out for sinners in his life, and on the cross; but he brings it in, in a manner, which, I pray God may take place this night; I mean, bringing it, by his blessed Spirit, into poor believers hearts. All that Christ hath done, all that Christ hath suffered, all Christ’s active obedience, all Christ’s passive obedience, will do us no good, unless by the Spirit of God, it is brought into our souls. As one expresses it, “An unapplied Christ is no Christ at all.” To hear of a Christ dying for sinners, will only increase your damnation, will only sink you deeper into hell, unless we have ground to say, by a work of grace wrought in our hearts, that the Lord Jesus hath brought this home to us. Hence it is, that the Apostle, speaking of Christ, says, “Who loved me, and gave himself for me.” O that dear, that great, that little, but important word, me. Happy they, who can adopt the Apostle’s language! Happy they that can apply it to their own heart; and when they hear that Christ has brought in an everlasting righteousness, can say, Blessed be God, it is brought in by the blessed Spirit to my soul!

Are there any here that can go along with me on this doctrine? But why do I ask this question, when preaching to numbers, who, I hope, have tasted of the grace of God long ago? I do not know; I cannot distinguish you; you are just like other people, as to your looks and habits; but if I do not, and if your neighbours cannot know you, that great God, in whose presence you are, knows you; He, before whose tribunal we are shortly to appear, knows you. If Christ Jesus hath brought his everlasting righteousness into your heart; if it is applied by the Spirit of God to your soul, what shall I say to you? I will say as the Angel to John, “Come up hither,” thou child of God! Come up hither, thou son, thou daughter of Abraham! Come and join with me, in calling upon angels and archangels, in calling upon the spirits of just men made perfect, to help thee to praise that loving Redeemer, that has brought in an everlasting righteousness. O was ever love like this! When Abraham was about to offer up his son, God said, “Now I know that thou lovest me, since thou hast not withheld thy son, thine only son from me.” Now may each child of God say, “Now, O God, I know that thou hast loved me, since thou hast not withheld thy Son, thy dear Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, from dying for me.” If thou hast got Christ brought into thy soul by faith, O look forward, look towards a happy eternity; O look towards those everlasting mansions, into which God will bring thee after death. My dear friends, I could say much from this text to comfort God’s people: But

I must address myself to you, poor souls, who cannot say, that this righteousness has been brought home to your souls; but if it was never brought home before, may God, for the Lord Jesus Christ’s sake, bring it home now! Are any of you depending upon a righteousness of your own? Do any of you here, think to save yourselves by your own doings? I say to you, as the Apostle said to one that offered money for a power to confer the gift of the Holy Ghost, your righteousness shall perish with you. Poor miserable creatures! What is there in your tears? what in your prayers? what in your performances, to appease the wrath of an angry God? Away from the trees of the garden; come, ye guilty wretches, come as poor, lost, undone, and wretched creatures, and accept of a better righteousness than your own. As I said before, so I tell you again, the righteousness of Jesus Christ is an everlasting righteousness: it is wrought out for the very chief of sinners. Ho, every one that thirsteth, let him come and drink of this water of life freely. Are any of you wounded by sin? Do any of you feel you have no righteousness of your own? Are any of you perishing for hunger? Are any of you afraid ye will perish for ever? Come, dear souls, in all your rags; come, thou poor man; come, thou poor, distressed woman; you, who think God will never forgive you, and that your sins are too great to be forgiven; come, thou doubting creature, who art afraid thou wilt never get comfort; arise, take comfort, the Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of life, the Lord of glory, calls for thee: through his righteousness there is hope for the chief of sinners, for the worst of creatures. What if thou hadst committed all the sins in the world? What if thou hadst committed the sins of a thousand, what if thou hadst committed the sins of a million of worlds? Christ’s righteousness will cover, the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ will cleanse thee from the guilt of them all. O let not one poor soul stand at a distance from the Saviour. My dear friends, could my voice hold out, was my strength equal to my will, I would wrestle with you; I would strive with arguments, till you came and washed in this blood of the Lamb; till you came and accepted of this everlasting righteousness. O come, come! Now, since it is brought into the world by Christ, so in the name, in the strength, and by the assistance of the great God, I bring it now to the pulpit; I now offer this righteousness, this free, this imputed, this everlasting righteousness to all poor sinners that will accept of it. For God’s sake accept it this night: you do not know but ye may die before to-morrow. How do ye know, but while I am speaking, a fit of the apoplexy may seize, and death arrest you? O my dear friends, where can ye go? where will ye appear? How will ye stand before an angry God, without the righteousness of the Lord Jesus Christ put upon your souls? Can ye stand in your own rags? Will ye dare to appear before a heart-searching God, without the apparel of your elder brother? If ye do, I know your doom: Christ will frown you into hell: “Depart, depart, ye cursed, into everlasting fire,” shall be your portion. Think, I pray you, therefore, on these things; go home, go home, go home, pray over the text, and say, “Lord God, thou hast brought an everlasting righteousness into the world by the Lord Jesus Christ; by the blessed Spirit bring it into my heart!” then, die when ye will, ye are safe; if it be to-morrow, ye shall be immediately translated into the presence of the everlasting God: that will be sweet! Happy they who have got this robe on; happy they that can say, “My God hath loved me, and I shall be loved by him with an everlasting love!” That every one of you may be able to say so, may God grant, for the sake of Jesus Christ, the dear Redeemer; to whom be glory for ever. Amen.