Secondly^ It is apparent that Christ finished the work, by the discharge or acquittance God the Father gave him, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand. If Christ, the sinner's surety, be, as such, discharged by God the creditor, then the debt is fully paid. Now Christ was justified, and cleared at his resurrection, from all charges and demands of justice; there- fore it is said, 1 Tim. iii. 16. that he was justified in the spirit, i. e. openly discharged by that very act of the Godhead, his raising him from the dead. For when the grave was opened, and Christ arose, it was to him as the opening of the prison-doors, and setting a surety at liberty, who was confined for another maivs debt. To the same sense Christ speaks of his ascension, John xvi. 10. " The " Spirit (saith he) shall convince the world of righteousness,11 i. e.
* Perfectum est, cui nihil deest, et cui nihil addi potest, f N'on ex divina ucct-ptation*, sed er propria valore.
436 THE FOUNTAIN OF LIFE.
of a complete and perfect righteousness in me, imputable to sin- ners for their perfect justification. And whereby shall he convince and satisfy them that is so ? Why, by this, " Because I go to the " Father, and ye see me no more." There is a great deal of force and weight in those words, " because ye see me no more :" for it amounts to this much ; by this you shall be satisfied I have fully and completely performed all righteousness, and that, by my active and passive obedience ; I have so fully satisfied God for you, as that you shall never be charged or condemned ; because, when I go to heaven, I shall abide there in glory with my Father, and not be sent back again, as I should, if any thing had been omit- ted by me. And this the apostle gives you also in so many plain words, Heb. x. 12, 13, 14. " After he' had offered one sacrifice " for sins, for ever sat down on the right-hand of God." And what doth he infer from that, but the very truth before us, verse 14. that "by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that " are sanctified ?7i
Thirdly, It is evident Christ hath finished the work, by the blessed effects of it upon all that believe in him : for by virtue of the completeness of Christ's work, finished by his death, their consciences are now rationally pacified, and their souls, at death, actually received into glory ; neither of which could be, if Christ had not in this world finished the work. If Christ had done his work imperfectly, he could not have given rest and tranquillity to the labouring and burdened souls that come to him, as now he doth, Mat. xi. 28. Conscience would still be hesitating, trem- bling, and unsatisfied ; and had he not finished his work, he could not have had entrance through the vail of his flesh into heaven, as all that believe in him have, Heb. x. 19, 20. If he had but almost done that work, we had been but almost saved, that is, cer- tainly damned. And thus you see briefly the evidences, that the work is finished.
Inf. 1. Hath Christ perfected and completely finished all his work for us ? how sweet a relief is this to us that believe in him against all the defects and imperfections of all the works of God, that are wrought by us. There is nothing finished that we do : all our duties are imperfect duties ; they come off lamely, and defectively from our hands. It is Christ's charge against the church of Sar- dis, Rev. iii. 2. I have not found thy works ^rr'/.r^o^^, perfect, or filled up before God. O there is much impudence and vanity in the best of our duties : but here is the grand relief, and that which answers to all the grounds of our doubts and fears upon that account ; Jesus Christ hath finished all his work, though we can finish none of ours : and so, though we be defective, poor, im- perfect creatures, in ourselves, yet, notwithstanding, we are com-
SERM. XXXV. THE FOUNTAIN OE LIFE. 437
plete in him, Col. ii. 9, 10. Though we cannot perfectly obey, or fulfil one command of the law, yet is " the righteousness of the " law fulfilled in us that believe,1' Rom. viii. 4. Christ's com- plete obedience being imputed to us, makes us complete, and without fault before God.
It is true, we ought to be humbled for our defects, and trou- bled for every failing in obedience ; but we should not be discou- raged, though multitudes of weaknesses be upon us, and many infirmities compass us about, in every duty we put our hand to : though we have no righteousness of our own ; yet of God, Christ is made unto us righteousness ; and that righteousness of his is infinitely better than our own : instead of our own, we have his. O blessed be God for Christ's perfect righteousness !
Inf. 2. Did Christ finish his work with his own hand ? How dangerous and dishonourable a tiling' is it to join any thing of our own to the righteousness of Christ, in point of justification before God. Jesus Christ will never endure this ; it reflects upon his work dishonourably ; he doth not (in this case) affect social glory : not I, and my God ; I, and my Christ, did this ; he will be all, or none, in your justification. If he have finished the work, what need of our additions ? And if not, to what purpose are they ? Can we finish that which Christ himself could not? But we would fain be sharing with him in this honour, which he will never endure. Did he finish the work by himself, and will he ever divide the glory and praise of it with us ? No, no, Christ is no half Saviour. O it is an hard thing to bring these proud hearts to live upon Christ for righ- teousness : we would fain add our penny to make up Christ's sum. But if you would have it so, or have nothing to do with Christ, you and your penny must perish together, Isa. 1. ult. God gives us the righteousness of Christ, as he gave manna to the Israelites in the wilderness. It is said, Deut. viii. 16. " That he fed them u with manna in the wilderness, that he might humble them." The quality of the food was not humbling, for it was angels food, but the manner of giving it was so : they must live by faith upon God for it, from day to day. This was not like other food, pro- duced by their own labour. Certainly God takes the right way to humble proud nature, in calling sinners wholly from their own righteousness to Christ's for their justification.
Inf. 3. Did Christ finish his work for us : Then there can be no doubt, but he zvill also finish his work in us. As he began the work of our redemption, and finished it : so he that hath begun the good work in you, will also finish it upon your souls. And of this the apostle saith, " He is confident," Phil. i. 6. Jesus Christ is not only called the author, but also the finisher of our faith, Heb. xii. 2. If he begin it, no doubt but he will finish it. And indeed
^38 I HE FOUNTAIN OF LIFE. SERM. XXXV.