king, it was further required, that those who would their own legs, were just already, and needed no have the privilege, advantage, and deliverance of allowance to be made them for believing Jesus to his kingdom, should enter themselves into it; and be the Messiah, taking him for their king, and by baptism being made denizens, and solemnly in- becoming his subjects. But that Christ does recorporated into that kingdom, live as became sub-quire obedience, sincere obedience, is evident from jects obedient to the laws of it: for if they be- the laws he himself delivers, (unless he can be suplieved him to be their Messiah, the king, but would posed to give and inculcate laws only to have them not obey his laws, and would not have him to disobeyed,) and from the sentence he will pass reign over them, they were but the greater re-when he comes to judge. bels; and God would not justify them for a faith that did but increase their guilt, and oppose diametrically the kingdom and design of the Messiah "who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works," Titus ii. 14. And therefore St. Paul tells the Galatians, that that which availeth is faith; but "faith working by love:" and that "faith without works," that is, the works of sincere obedience to the law and will of Christ, is not sufficient for our justification, St. James shows at large, chap. ii.

146. The faith required was, to believe Jesus to be the Messiah, the anointed, who had been promised by God to the world. Amongst the Jews (to whom the promises and prophecies of the Messiah were more immediately delivered) anointing was used to three sorts of persons at their inauguration, whereby they were set apart to three great offices, viz., of priests, prophets, and kings. Though these three offices be in holy writ attributed to our Saviour, yet I do not remember that he any where assumes to himself the title of a priest, or mentions any thing relating to his priesthood; nor does he 144. Neither indeed could it be otherwise; for speak of his being a prophet but very sparingly, life, eternal life, being the reward of justice or and once or twice, as it were, by the by: but the righteousness only, appointed by the righteous God gospel, or the good news of the kingdom of the (who is of purer eyes than to behold iniquity) to Messiah, is what he preaches every where, and those only who had no taint or infection of sin makes it his great business to publish to the world. upon them, it is impossible that he should justify This he did, not only as most agreeable to the exthose who had no regard to justice at all, whatever pectation of the Jews, who looked for their Mes they believed. This would have been to encour- siah chiefly as coming in power to be their king age iniquity, contrary to the purity of his nature, and deliverer; but as it best answered the chief and to have condemned that eternal law of right end of his coming, which was to be a king, and as which is holy, just, and good: of which no one such to be received by those who would be his subprecept or rule is abrogated or repealed, nor in- jects in the kingdom which he came to erect. deed can be, whilst God is an holy, just, and And though he took not directly on himself the righteous God, and man a rational creature. The title of king till he was in custody, and in the hands duties of that law, arising from the constitution of of Pilate, yet it is plain king, and king of Israel, his very nature, are of eternal obligation; nor can were the familiar and received titles of the Mesit be taken away, or dispensed with, without chang-siah.* What those were to do, who believed him ing the nature of things, or overturning the mea- to be the Messiah, and received him for their king, sures of right and wrong, and thereby introducing and authorizing irregularity, confusion, and disorder in the world. Christ's coming into the world was not for such an end as that; but, on the contrary, to reform the corrupt state of degenerate man, and out of those who would mend their lives, and bring forth fruit meet for repentance, erect a new kingdom.

that they might be admitted to be partakers with him of his kingdom in glory, we shall best know by the laws he gives them, and requires them to obey; and by the sentence which he himself will give, when, sitting on his throne, they shall all appear at his tribunal, to receive every one his doom from the mouth of this righteous Judge of all men.

147. What he proposes to his followers to be believed, we have already seen, by examining his, and his apostles' preaching, step by step, all through the history of the four evangelists, and the Acts of the Apostles. The same method will best and plainest show us, whether he required of those who believed him to be the Messiah, any thing besides that faith, and what it was. For he being a king, we shall see by his commands what he expects from his subjects: for if he did not expect obedience to them, his commands would be but mere mockery; and if there were no punishment for the transgressors of them, his laws would not be the laws of a king, that had authority to command, and power to chastise the disobedient; but empty talk, without force, and without influence.

145. This is the law of that kingdom, as well as of all mankind; and that law by which all men shall be judged at the last day. Only those who have believed Jesus to be the Messiah, and have taken him to be their king, with a sincere endeavour after righteousness, in obeying his law, shall have their past sins not imputed to them; and shall have that faith taken instead of obedience, where frailty and weakness made them transgress, and sin prevailed after conversion in those who hunger and thirst after righteousness, (or perfect obedience,) and do not allow themselves in acts of disobedience and rebellion, against the laws of that kingdom they are entered into. He did not expect, it is true, a perfect obedience, void of all slips and falls; he knew our make, and the weakness of our constitutions too well, and was sent with a supply for that defect. Besides, perfect obedience * See John i. 50; Luke xix. 38, compared with was the righteousness of the law of works; and Matt. xxi. 9, and Mark xi. 9; John xii. 13; Matt. then the reward would be of debt, and not of grace; xxi. 5; Luke xxiii. 2, compared with Matt. xxvii. and to such there was no need of faith to be im-11, and John xviii. 33, 37; Mark xv. 12, compared puted to them for righteousness. They stood upon with Matt. xxvii. 22; Matt. xxvii. 42.

148. We shall therefore, from his injunctions, (if any such there be,) see what he has made necessary to be performed, by all those who shall be received into eternal life in his kingdom prepared in the heavens and in this we cannot be deceived. What we have from his own mouth, especially if repeated over and over again, in different places and expressions, will be past doubt and controversy. I shall pass by all that is said by St. John Baptist, or any other, before our Saviour's entry upon his ministry and public promulgation of the laws of his kingdom. He began his preaching with a command to repent; as St. Matthews tells us: From that time Jesus began to preach; saying, Repent, for the kingdoin of heaven is at hand:" and, Luke v. 32, he tells the Scribes and Pharisees, "I come not to call the righteous," (those who were truly so, needed no help; they had a right to the tree of life,) "but sinners to repentance."

And to show how much he is in earnest, and expects obedience to these laws, he tells them, that if they obey, "great shall be their reward; they shall be called the sons of the Highest."* And to all this, in the conclusion, he adds this solemn sanction: "Why call ye me Lord, Lord, and do not the things that I say?" It is in vain for you to take me for the Messiah, your king, unless you obey me. "Not every one who calls me Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven, or be the sons of God; but he that doth the will of my Father which is in heaven." To such disobedient subjects, though they have prophesied and done miracles in my name, I shall say at the day of judgment, "Depart from me, ye workers of iniquity, I know you not."

my, pride, foolishness. All these ill things come from within, and defile a man." He commands self-denial, and the exposing ourselves to suffering and danger, rather than to deny or disown him; and this upon pain of losing our souls, which are of more worth than all the world.f

150. When he was told that his mother and brethren sought to speak with him, "stretching out his hands to his disciples, he said, Behold my mother and my brethren: for whosoever shall do 149. In his sermon, as it is called, in the mount, the will of my Father, who is in heaven, he is my he commands they should be exemplary in good brother, and sister, and mother." They could not works. 66 Let your light so shine amongst men, be children of the adoption, and fellow-heirs with that they may see your good works, and glorify him of eternal life, who did not do the will of his your Father which is in heaven." And that they heavenly Father. Matt. xv. and Mark vii., the might know what he came for, and what he expect- Pharisees finding fault, that his disciples eat with ed of them, he tells them, "Think not that I am unclean hands, he makes this declaration to his come to dissolve or loosen the law, or the prophets: apostles: "Do ye not perceive, that whatsoever I am not come to dissolve or loosen, but to make from without entereth into a man, cannot defile it full, or complete;" by giving it you in its true him; because it enters not into his heart, but his and strict sense. Here we see he confirms, and belly, That which cometh out of the man that deat once reinforces all the moral precepts in the fileth the man: for from within, out of the heart of Old Testament. "For verily I say to you, till men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in murders, thefts, false witnesses, covetousness, wickno wise pass from the law, till all be done. Who-edness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphesoever, therefore, shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least (that is, as it is interpreted, shall not be at all) in the kingdom of heaven. I say unto you, that except your righteousness," that is, your performance of the eternal law of right, "shall exceed the righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven" and then he goes on to make good what he said, "that he was come to complete the law," viz., by giving its full and clear sense, free from the corrupt and loosening glosses of the Scribes and Pharisees. He tells them, that not only murder, but causeless anger, and so much as words of contempt, were forbidden. He commands them to be reconciled and kind towards their adversaries; and that upon pain of condemnation. In the following part of his sermon, which is to be read, Luke vi., and more at large, Matt. v. vi. vii., he not only forbids actual uncleanness, but all irregular desires, upon pain of hell-fire; causeless divorces, swearing in conversation, as well as forswearing in judgment, revenge, retaliation, ostentation of charity, of devotion, and of fasting, repetitions in prayer, covetousness, worldly care, censoriousness: and on the other side, commands loving our friends, doing good to those that hate us, blessing those that curse us, praying for those that despitefully use us; patience and meekness under injuries; forgiveness, liberality, compassion: and closes all his particular injunctions with this general golden rule: "All things whatsoever ye would have that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets' (18)

78

46

151. The apostles disputing amongst them who should be greatest in the kingdom of the Messiah, he thus determines the controversy: If any one will be first, let him be last of all, and servant of all :" and setting a child before them, adds, " Verily I say unto you, unless ye turn, and become as children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven." Matt. xviii. 15, "If thy brother shall trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone; if he shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother; but if he will not hear thee, then take with thee one or two more, that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established. And if he shall neglect to hear them, tell it to the church; but if he neglect to hear the church, let him be unto thee as an heathen and publican. Peter said, Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times? Jesus said unto him, I say not unto thee till seven times, but until seventy times seven." And then ends the parable of the servant, who being himself forgiven, was rigorous to his fellow-servant, with these words:" And his lord was wrath, and delivered

* Luke vi. 35.

This we may read, Matt. xvi. 24, 27, and the parallel places. Matt. viii. and Luke ix.

ment of unspeakable rewards and punishments in another world, according to their obedience or disobedience. There is not. I think, any of the duties of morality which he has not, some where or other, by himself and his apostles, inculcated over and over again to his followers in express terms. And is it for nothing that he is so instant with them to bring forth fruit? Does he their king command, and is it an indifferent thing? Or will their happiness or misery not at all depend upon it, whether they obey or no? They were required to believe him to be the Messiah; which faith is of grace promised to be reckoned to them for the completing of their righteousness, wherein it was defective: but righteousness, or obedience to the law of God, was their great business, which, if they could have attained by their own performances, there would have been no need of this gracious allowance in reward of their faith; but eternal life, after the resurrection, had been their due by a former covenant, even that of works, the rule whereof was never abolished, though the rigor was abated. The duties enjoined in it were duties still: their obligations had never ceased, nor a wilful neglect of them was ever dispensed with; but their past transgressions were pardoned to those who received Jesus, the promised Messiah, for their king; and their future slips covered, if, renouncing their former iniquities, they entered into his kingdom, and continued his subjects, with a steady resolution and endeavor to obey his laws. The righteousness therefore, a complete obedience and freedom from sin, are still sincerely to be endeavored after: and it is no where promised, that those who persist in a wilful disobedience to his laws, shall be received into the eternal bliss of his kingdom, how much soever they believe in him.

less we also obey his laws, and take him to be our | the strictness as well as obligation of its injuncking to reign over us. Matt. xxii. 11-13: He tions; but moreover, upon occasion, requires the that had not on the wedding garment, though he obedience of his disciples to several of the comaccepted of the invitation, and came to the wed-mands he afresh lays upon them, with the enforceding, was cast into outer darkness. By the wedding garment, it is evident good works are meant here. That wedding garment of fine linen, clean and white, which we are told is the dikaipara, "righteous acts of the saints;"* or, as St. Paul calls it, "the walking worthy of the vocation wherewith we are called." This appears from the parable itself:-"The kingdom of heaven," says our Saviour, "is like unto a king who made a marriage for his son.' And here he distinguishes those who were invited into three sorts:-1. Those who were invited, and came not; that is, those who had the gospel, the good news of the kingdom of God proposed to them, but believed not. 2. Those who came, but had not on a wedding garment; that is, believed Jesus to be the Messiah, but were not new clad (as I may so say) with a true repentance and amendment of life, nor adorned with those virtues which the apostle, Col. iii., requires to be put on. 3. Those who were invited, did come, and had on the wedding garment; that is, heard the gospel, believed Jesus to be the Messiah, and sincerely obeyed his laws. These three sorts are plainly designed here, whereof the last only were the blessed, who were to enjoy the kingdom prepared for them. Matt. xxiii. "Be not ye called Rabbi; for one is your master, even the Messiah, and ye all are brethren. And call no man your father upon the earth; for one is your Father which is in heaven. Neither be ye called masters; for one is your Master, even the Messiah. But he that is greatest amongst you, shall be your servant; and whosoever shall exalt himself, shall be abased; and he that shall humble himself, shall be exalted. Luke xxi. 34:-"Take heed to yourselves, lest your hearts be at any time overcharged with surfeiting and drunkenness, and cares of this life." Luke xxii. 25: "He said unto them, The kings of the 154. A sincere obedience, how can any one doubt Gentiles exercise lordship over them; and they to be, or scruple to call, a condition of the new that exercise authority upon them are called bene- covenant, as well as faith, who ever read our Safactors. But ye shall not be so: but he that is viour's sermon on the mount, to omit all the rest? greatest amongst you, let him be as the younger; Can any thing be more express than these words and he that is chief, as he that doth serve." John of our Lord: "If you forgive men their trespasses, xiii. 34: "A new commandment I give unto you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you; but if that ye love one another; as I have loved you, ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will that ye also love one another: by this shall al! your Father forgive your trespasses:" and, "If ye men know that ye are my disciples, if ye love one know these things, happy are ye if ye do them?" another." This command of loving one another, This is so indispensable a condition of the new is repeated again, chap. xv. 12-17. John xiv. covenant, that believing without it will not do, "If ye love me, keep my commandments. He nor be accepted, if our Saviour knew the terms on that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, which he would admit men into life. " Why call ye he it is that loveth me; and he that loveth me, me Lord, Lord," says he, "and do not the things shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him which I say?"* It is not enough to believe him to and manifest myself to him. If a man loveth me, be the Messiah, the Lord, without obeying him: he will keep my words. He that loveth me not, for that these he speaks to here were believers is keepeth not my sayings." John xv.: "In this is evident from the parallel place, where it is recordmy Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; soed: "Not every one who says Lord, Lord, shall shall ye be my disciples. Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you."

153. Thus we see our Saviour not only confirmed the moral law, and clearing it from the corrupt glosses of the Scribes and Pharisees, showed

enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doth the will of my Father, which is in heaven."t No rebels, or refractory disobedient, shall be admitted there, though they have so far believed in Jesus as to be able to do miracles in his name;

as is plain out of the following words; "Many will say to me in that day, Have we not prophesied in thy name, and in thy name have cast out devils, and in thy name have done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye workers of iniquity!"

more zealous for the law than he; and therefore it was with reason that his discourses were directed chiefly to what they yet wanted, and were averse to, the knowledge and embracing of Jesus, their promised Messiah. But what his preaching generally was, if we will believe him himself, we may see, Acts xxvi., where, giving an account to king Agrippa of his life and doctrine, he tells him, "I showed unto them at Damascus, and at Jerusalem, and throughout all the coasts of Judea, and then to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, and do works meet for repentance."

155. This part of the new covenant the apostles also, in their preaching the gospel of the Messiah, ordinarily joined with the doctrine of faith. St. Peter, in his first sermon, Acts ii., when they were pricked in heart, and asked, "What shall we do?" says, verse 38," Repent, and be baptized every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ, for the remis- 157. Thus we see, by the preaching of our Sasion of sins." The same he says to them again in viour and his apostles, that he required of those his next speech, Acts iv. 26: "Unto you first, God who believed him to be the Messiah, and received having raised up his Son Jesus, sent him to bless him for their Lord and deliverer, that they should you.' How was this done? "In turning away live by his laws; and that (though in consideraevery one from your iniquities." The same doc- tion of their becoming his subjects, by faith in him, trine they preach to the high-priest and rulers: whereby they believed and took him to be the "The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom Messiah, their former sins should be forgiven) yet ye slew and hanged on a tree. Him hath God he would own none to be his, nor receive them as exalted with his right hand, to be a prince and a true denizens of the New Jerusalem, into the inSaviour, for to give repentance to Israel, and for-heritance of eternal life, but leave them to the congiveness of sins: and we are witnesses of these demnation of the unrighteous, who renounced not things, and so is also the Holy Ghost, whom God their former miscarriages, and lived in a sincere hath given to them that obey him."* Acts xvii. obedience to his commands. What he expects 30: St. Paul tells the Athenians, that now, under from his followers, he has sufficiently declared as the gospel, "God commandeth all men every a legislator; and that they may not be deceived, where to repent." Acts xx. 21: St. Paul, in his by mistaking the doctrine of faith, grace, free last conference with the elders of Ephesus, pro- grace, and the pardon and forgiveness of sins and fesses to have taught them the whole doctrine ne- salvation by him, (which was the great end of his cessary to salvation. "I have," says he, "kept coming,) he more than once declares to them for back nothing that was profitable unto you; but what omissions and miscarriages he shall judge have showed you, and have taught you publicly, and condemn to death, even those who have ownand from house to house, testifying both to the ed him, and done miracles in his name, when he Jews and to the Greeks;" and then gives an ac- comes at last to render to every one according count what his preaching had been, viz. "Re- to what he had done in the flesh, sitting upon pentance towards God, and faith towards our Lord his great and glorious tribunal, at the end of the Jesus, the Messiah." This was the sum and sub-world. stance of the gospel which St. Paul preached, and 158. The first place where we find our Saviour was all that he knew necessary to salvation, viz. to have mentioned the day of judgment is Jolin v. "repentance, and believing Jesus to be the Mes-28, 29, in these words: "The hour is coming, in siah;" and so takes his last farewell of them whom he should never see again, verse 32, in these words: "And now, brethren, I commend you to God, and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up, and to give you an inheritance among all them that are sanctified." There is an inheritance conveyed by the word and covenant of grace, but it is only to those who are sanctified.

156. Acts xxiv. 24: When Felix sent for Paul, that he and his wife Drusilla might hear him, concerning the faith in Christ, Paul reasoned of righteousness, or justice, and temperance; the duties we owe to others, and to ourselves, and of the judgment to come; till he made Felix to tremble. Whereby it appears, that temperance and justice were fundamental parts of the religion that Paul professed, and were contained in the faith which he preached. And if we find the duties of the moral law not pressed by him every where, we must remember, that most of his sermons left upon record, were preached in their synagogues to the Jews, who acknowledged their obedience due to all the precepts of the law, and would have taken it amiss to have been suspected not to have been

* Acts v. 30.

which all that are in their graves shall hear his [that is, the Son of God's] voice, and shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation." That which puts the distinction, if we will believe our Saviour, is the having "done good or evil;" and he gives a reason of the necessity of his judging or condemning those "who have done evil," in the following words, verse 30: "I can of my ownself do nothing. As I hear I judge, and my judgment is just; because I seek not my own will, but the will of my Father who hath sent me." He could not judge of himself; he had but a delegated power of judging from the Father, whose will he obeyed in it, and who was of purer eyes than to admit any unjust person into the kingdom of heaven. Matt. vii. 22, 23: Speaking again of that day, he tells what his sentence will be: "Depart from me, ye workers of iniquity." Faith, in the penitent and sincerely obedient, supplies the defect of their performances, and so by grace they are made just. But we may observe, none are sentenced or punished for unbelief, but only for their misdeeds. They are workers of iniquity," on whom the sentence is pronounced. Matt. xiii. 14: "At the