'SECTION II. 87. joined, sins forbidden ; and it bath a sanction also, for there are terrible penalties annexed to thecontempt or rejection of it, even A much sorer punishment than was threatened for the breach of the law of Moses; Heb. x. 28, 29. And because it partakes so much of the nature of a law, and bath so much resemblance to it, it is in a few places of scripture called a law ; without dispute ; Is. ii. 3. The lare shall go forth from Sion. Rom. iii. 27. The law offaith. II. The gospel is not a law, in the full sense of the word, for it wants the third'requisite of a law. Whatsoever dutiesare required in thegospel, the performance of those duties by us is not described 'in scripture. as the matter of our righteousness be- fore God. There are many blessings promised, and blessed- nesses pronounced in the gospel upon the discharge of various duties of holiness, which are prescribed in the New Testament ; but in the court of God and his word, a sinner is not justified by any, or all these duties. Faith itself; which is the first and great requirement of the gospel, is not our justifying righteousness, but is the way and means to obtain, or be possessed of a justifying righteousness. The righteousness, by which we are justified under.the gospel, doth not use to be represented as a righteous- ness wroughtin us or by us, or as a righteousness cf works, or as a righteousness of man ; but it is mentioned as a righteousness from without us, agiven righteousness; Rom. v. 17. a righteous- ness imputed without works; Rein. iv. û. And it is commonly called by St. Paul, the righteousness of God, it is a rectitude in the court of God including or inferring an absolution from guilt, and a right to heaven, appointed, prepared and bestowed by ' God himself, upon all them that believe ; and it is received by our faiths or trusting in Christ. " The righteousness of God is by the faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that be- lieve ; Rom. iii. 22. And it is called the gift of righteousness ;. in Rom. v. 17. as a very distinct thing from the gift of faith ; Eph. ii. 8. Andhere we may do well to take notice that though there are a great many differences between the gospel, which St. Paul preached, and the Jewish law, such as the multitude of arbi- trary commands, in the natural and civil life, the Barden of many ceremonies, the temporal promises and threatenings, &c: yet the grand point of difference, which he frequently insisted on, is the different way of justification,'viz: That the one is by works, the other not. Always remembering that before God, as the great Lord of conscience, and with regard to eternal life, the Jews were to be justified. and saved by the same gospel, and by faith, even as Abraham of old, and christians now. Butwith regard to God, considered as their political governor or king by the Sinai cove- nant, they were to be justified by works. The blessed apostle
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