5. Seek it in Christ's way ; then you are like to obtain it, at least you shall be sure not to deceive yourselves. Many conceit themselves to be in a good estate, and that Christ is theirs, and all his righteous- ness theirs, when they never sought it in his way ; you must therefore look to this. This way of Christ respects two things: —
1.] The manner of obtaining.
2.] Our ends and aims in it.
l.J The manner of obtaining it must be by union ; this righteous- ness is not gotten by an assent to the truth of any promise or proposi- tion in the word, but by an union with Jesus Christ. We are not united to any promise, but to Christ. Many take a promise, and go away with it. But alas ! you are to take Christ in the promise, for there is no promise that appertaineth to any till they are one with Christ. Therefore there must be union before you can take any com- fort in him ; for all the promises are his, and you have not right in them till you have a right in him : 2 Cor. i. 20, ' All the promises of God in him are yea, and in him amen.' So they will be tiue and cer- tain to you. Many flatter themselves in this kind. They go away with the words of a promise, but do not care to carry out their faith to the person of Christ tendered in the promise. You cannot close with Christ without a promise, so not with a promise without him. Look, as it is in the spiritual life, many think to live upon a comfortable word or a pro- mise of God, whereas they should live upon Christ in a promise; as men do not live upon their conveyances and leases, but their lands: so here, you do not come to a promise for righteousness, but to Christ in it. [2.] The ends and aims in it ; both the subordinate and the ulti- mate ends must be right.
(1.) The subordinate end, which concerneth ourselves and our own good. Be not contented without the king's face, the grace of God, and the light of his countenance. Many desire to allay the burnings of their consciences, and to cool the heat that is in their spirits through guilt, and would fain shun hell and horror, but do not care for com- munion with God, and to be in a state of favour and amity with the Lord. Alas ! a pardon is nothing without acceptance ; it were hell enough not to enjoy God. In juKtification there must be both done, an allaying of wrath and procuring of favour. Zech. iii. 4. The filthy garments must be taken away, and we must be clothed with change of raiment. ' I have caused thine iniquities to pass from
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thee ; ' but that is not enough : ' I will clothe thee.' There must be a charming of wrath and a being accepted in the beloved, Eph. i, 6. Hypocrites they are altogether for removal of punishment, but do not care how they stand in God's favour, so as they may receive the com- munications of grace. Oh, do not you rest in that,, and only make it your care to get the punishment off.
(2.) The ultimate end,, which concerneth God's glory. God's end in the covenant of grace is to exalt mercy ; and therefore it is said, Eph. i. 6, ' He hath accepted us in the beloved •,.' that is God's end in the covenant of grace, to exalt the glory of grace : Isa. xlviii. 9, ' For my name's sake will I defer mine anger, and for my praise will I refrain for thee, that I cut thee not off.' There is God's end in all : and when our end and God's end are the same, then our desires are the most re- gular. Now what is your end in desiring the righteousness of Christ — God's glory, or your own good ? The natural inclination and propen- sion that is in us to our own good may work a desire to have sin for- given, and to be saved from wrath, or that conscience may be pacified ; but to desire that we may be accepted in the beloved, to the praise of the glory of his grace^ that is a heavenly frame of spirit ; not that you may be exalted, but grace in you. Seek the righteousness of Christ with the same mind that God offereth it in the covenant.
Use 3. It serveth for instruction to us, to make Jesus Christ, as he is Mediator, God-man, the object of our faith. We may do it, and we ought to do it. Whosoever justifieth me becomes the object of my faith. Now not only God the Father justifieth, but also Jesus Christ, God's righteous servant. And therefore, in the work of our faith, we are not only to refiect upon God the Father, but Jesus Christ as Media- tor. And indeed we ought to do so, for much of the comfort of be- lieving dependeth upon our taking of him into our thoughts : John xiv. 1, 'Let not your hearts be troubled ; ye believe in God, believe also in me.' It easeth us much of the trouble of our hearts when our souls have recourse to Christ, when, we believe in him who was God's right- eous servant.