Verí: 16. the fixth Chapter to the Rom ANS. I I t 2. In the Application of it to the matter in hand, take notice, 1. Of two contrary Matters, Sin and Obedience. 2. Of two contrary Rewards and Wages, Death and Righteoufnefi. 3. The baiting the one to the other , Sin and Death , Obedience and Righ- teoufnefs. 1. By Sin he meaneth finning wittingly and willingly, conflantly, eafily. By Death as'the Wages, is underflood, the fecond, or eternal Death. 2. The other Matter. By Obedience is meant obedience to God , if you obey Gods commands ; and as our Duty is exprei%d by Obedience, fo our Reward by Righteonfnefe. He doth not fay , cis soLú, which the Law of Contraries would feem to require , but tis l nowoatath, by Righteoufnefi, you may expound it either of our Title to flappinefs; or our Reward it felf. a. Our Title, you (hall be pronounced and accepted as righteous , and fo Heirs of eternal Life. There are many acceptations of the word [Righteoufef] in Scripture. In Ihort, take them thus. 1. It may be taken in a Moral fenfe, for a good difpofition of mind and heart, Eph. 4, 24. That ye pat on the new man , which after God is created in righteonfi:efi and true hali- nef . 2. In a Legal or Judicial fence , for a (late of Acceptation , or the ground of a Plea before the Tribunal of God. So Rom. 5. 59. By the obedience of one many /ball be made righteous. In this Judicial fenfe either with retped to the Precept or the San &ion. 1. With refpeft to the Precept or the Law, as it is fincerely and Evangelically obey- ed, 1 Joh.3.7. He that doth righteoufnefs, is righteous. And Luke 1.6. They were bath righ- teous' before God , walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blamelef : this is oppofite to reattor culpe. With refpefk to the San &ion which is double, the Threatning or the Promife. With refpe& to theThreátning,'fo Righteoufnefs implieth freedom from the Obligation to Punifhment. So Rom. a. 17, 18. For therein is the righteoufnefs of God revealed from faith to faith, m it is written, The Ali fhall live by faith. For the wrath of God is reveal- ed from heaven againf all ssngodlinefs and unrighteoufnefs of men, who held the troth in un- righteoufnefs : this is oppofite to realm pane. With refpeá to the Promife , fo Righte- oufnefs imports our Right and Title to eternal Life, not from any merit in our obedi- ence it felt, but Gods gracious condefcenfion in the Covenant, There is laid up for me a crown of righteoufnefs, 1 Tim. 4.8. Our Title is firft by Faith, then continued by new Obedience. 2. It may imply the Reward it (elf; for it is Paid elfewhere, Ifa. 48. 18. 0 that thou hadil hearkened to my commandments, then had thy peace been as the river , and thy righ- teoufnefs as the craves of the fea. Where by righteoufnefs is not meant any moral Vertue or gracious Difpofition, but Profperity and Happinefs. So Prov. 8. 18. Riches and ho- nour are with me, yea durable riches and righteoufnef, thereby is meant Felicity. As Iniquity is put for Punifhment, He (hall bear his iniquity; fo Righteoufnefs is put for Reward. So here Righteoufnefs is oppofed. to Death, and fignifieth eternal Life. Do &tine. That it greatly concerneth Chriflians to confider upon what they bellow, or im- ploy their Time, Service and Obedience. This will be evident by thefe Confiderations, 1. That the great bufinefs, which belongeth to our Duty , is the choice of a Matter, or to confider, to what we mutt addi& our (elves, and upon what we bellow our minds and hearts, our life and love, our time and ftrength : 1 Kings 18. 21. How long halt ye between two opinions ? If the Lord be God, follow him ; but if Baal, then follow him. He brings the bufinefs to a tryal, not to give them liberty to be of what Religion they plea- ted, but on deliberation to chufe the bell. So yofh. 24.15. If it feem evil to you to ferve the Lord, chufe you this day whom you will ferve. He doth not leave it to their liberty to chufe God or Idols, but would have them to compare the bell with the wor(l, the fer- vice of God , or the fervice of Devils ; which will be Life , and which will be Death, which will be good, and whichwill be bad for them ; not as if it were doubtful which to chufe, for that is evident to any man in his right wits : nor to blunt their zeal by any demurrer in the cafe, but rather quicken and haften their choice ; but chiefly that they might chufe freely , and be more firm and c4nftant in their Covenant , and to Ihame them , that they might be more inexcufable, if pretending to God , they divert their òbedi-
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