2. The second objection is, " That if the righteousness and obedi- ence of Christ to the law be imputed unto us, then ivhat need we yield obedience ourselves?" To this, also, I shall return answer as briefly as I can in the ensuing obsei-vations : —
(1.) The placing of our gospel obedience on the right foot of account (that it may neither be exalted into a state, condition, use,
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or end, not given it of God; nor any reason, cause, motive, end, ne- cessity of it, on tlie other hand, taken away, weakened, or impaired), is a matter of great importance. Some make our obedience, the works of faith, our works, the matter or cause of our justification; some, the condition of the imputation of the righteousness of Christ ; some, the quahfication of the person justified, on the one hand; some exchide all the necessity of them, and turn the grace of God into lasciviousness, on the other. To debate these differences is not my pre- sent business; only, I say, on this and other accounts, the right stating of our obedience is of great importance as to our walking with God. (2.) We do by no means assign the same place, condition, state, and use to the obedience of Christ imputed to us, and our obedience 23erfo7-med to God. If we did, they were really inconsistent. And therefore those who affirm that our obedience is the condition or cause of our justification, do all of them deny the imputation of the obedience of Christ unto us. The righteousness of Christ is imputed to us, as that on the account whereof we are accepted and esteemed righteous before God, and are really so, though not inherently. We are as truly righteous with the obedience of Christ imputed to us as Adam was, or could have been, by a complete righteousness of his own performance. So Rom. v. 18, by his obedience we are made righteous, — made so truly, and so accepted ; as by the disobedience of Adam we are truly made trespassers, and so accounted. And this is that which the apostle desires to be found in, in opposition to his own riohteousness, Phil. iii. 9. But our own obedience is not the ris^ht- eousness whereupon we are accepted and justified before God; although it be acceptable to God that we should abound therein. And this distinction the apostle doth evidently deliver and confirm, so as no- thing can be more clearly revealed: Eph. ii. 8-10, " For by grace are ye saved through faith: and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: not of works, lest any man should boast. For we are his work- manship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath prepared that we should walk in them." We are saved, or justified (for that it is whereof the apostle treats), " by gi'ace through faith," which receives Jesus Christ and his obedience ; " not of works, lest any man should boast." " But what works are they that the apostle intends?" The works of believers, as in the very beginning of the next words is manifest : " ' For we are,' we believers, with our obedi- ence and our works, of whom I speak." " Yea ; but what need, then, of works?" Need still there is: "We are his workmanship," etc Two things the apostle intimates in these words: — [1.] A reason why we cannot be saved by works, — namely, be- cause we do them not in or by our own strength; which is necessary we should do, if we will be saved by them, or justified by them. " But
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this is not so/' saitli the apostle ; " for we are the workmanship of God," etc. ; — all our works are wrought in us, by full and effectual, undeserved grace.
[2.] An assertion of the necessity of good works, notwithstanding that we are not saved by them; and that is, that God has ordained that Ave shall walk in them: which is a sufficient ground of our obedience, whatever be the use of it.
If you will say, then, "What are the true and ^ro^ex gospel grounds, reasons, uses, and motives of our obedience; whence the necessity thereof may be demonstrated, and our souls be stiiTed up to abound and be fruitful therein?" I say, they are so many, and lie so deep in the mystery of the gospel and dispensation of grace, spread them- selves so throughout the whole revelation of the will of God unto us, that to handle them fully and distinctly, and to give them their due weight, is a thing that I cannot engage in, lest I should be turned aside from what I principally intend. I shall only give you some brief heads of what might at large be insisted on : —
1st. Our universal obedience and good works are indispensably necessary, from the sovereign appointment and will of God; Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.
In general. " This is the will of God, even your sanctification," or holiness, 1 Thcss. iv. 3. This is that which God wills, which he requires of us, — that we be holy, that we be obedient, that we do his will as the angels do in heaven. The equity, necessity, profit, and advantage of this ground of our obedience might at large be insisted on; and, were there no more, this might suffice alone, — if it be the will of God, it is m.ir duty : —