90 THE FORM OF THE GOSPEL. condemning power by the gospel, and made easy to believersby their new nature : Now, surely, no christian will say that we are to be justifiedbydoing the works of the moral law. II. In those places of the New Testament where the gospel is, or is supposed to be called a law, there is generally some qualifying word added, as, the law offaith, the lawof liberty, &c. that it may seem to stand in opposition to a law of works, and appear distinct from a strict and proper law. There may be, as I have before hinted, many bless- ings promised, and blessedness pronounced upon obedience to any of the commands of God, whether in the moral law or gospel ; so Ps. i. 1. and cxix. 1, 2. so Mat. v. 3 -11. But every such blessing doth not signify the justification of a sinner in the sight of God, his release from the guilt or obligation to hell; and his first right to heaven. He that obeys the duties Of the law or gospel in any measure or degree, has some sort of blessedness pronounced on him by the favour and condes- cension of God, for in keeping any of his commands there is great reward; Ps. xix. 11. especially to a soul in a state of grace and alreadyjustified by faith. Objection H. Another may draw anargument from reason, and say, Whatsoever duties of righteousness are required in any constitutionor covenant, the fulfilling those duties must in the very nature and reason of things be esteemed that righteousness upon which that constitution pronounces a manjust or right in court ; so faith justifies us against the charge of unbelief, so re- pentance and sincere obedience justify us against the charge of impenitency and hypocrisy, and se perseverance justifies against the chargeof apostasy, because it is a conformity to that rule or constitution which requires faith, repentance, perseverance, &c. Answer. Itmust be granted, indeed, thát in the verynature Of things our faith justifies us against the charge of unbelief, so far as our faith goes ; and our repentance and our love to God justify us against the charge of impenitence, and hatingGod, so far as we do repent and love him; and our meekness, humility and sincerity, justify us against the charge of pride and passion, and hypocrisy, so far as we are meek, humble add sincere : And in this sense the apostle John might say ; 1 John. iii. 7. He that doth righteousness is righteous, as God is righteous; where righ- teousness is evidently used for holiness, and not in a forensic sense, to signify justification. But all our virtues and graces of faith, love, repentance, &c. are so very far from perfection, and so much below what the holiness of God and his commands re- quire, that the Spirit of God in his word, hath not thought fit to honour these our works with the name of righteousness, when he is describing the way how a sinner is justified ; nor bath he applied the term ofjustification to those performances in those
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