♦ duplicate word “will” removed
In the fulness of time descends the eternal Logos, “In the fulness of time GOD sent forth his Son made of a woman, made under the law, to redeem them that are under the law from the curse of it, being made a curse for us.” The LORD JESUS CHRIST being cloathed in human nature, fulfilled all righteousness; he submitted to every institution of GOD, and was pleased to obey the whole moral law; and afterwards, O can we think of it, O can you hear of it, without a heart leaping with joy, at last the LORD JESUS bled and died! and when he was just expiring, just as he was about to bow down his head, and give up the ghost, what do ye think he said? He said, “It is finished!” As much as to say, “Now the arduous work, the difficult task I had undertaken, blessed be GOD, is now completely over; all the demands of the law are finished; now GOD’s justice is satisfied; now a new and living way is opened by my blood to the holiest of all for poor sinners.”
So that when CHRIST’s righteousness is here spoken of, we are to understand “CHRIST’s obedience and death,” all that CHRIST has done, and all that CHRIST has suffered for an elect world, for all that will believe on him. And blessed be GOD for this righteousness! blessed be GOD for the epithet which in the text is put to this righteousness; it might be called a _blessed_ righteousness, it might be called a _glorious_ righteousness; it might be called an _invaluable_ righteousness; but the angel calls it an _everlasting righteousness_; GOD give you to take the comfort of it!
_Secondly_, I am now to shew, on what account, this righteousness is here called an _everlasting_ righteousness; and pray why do you think is CHRIST’s righteousness called an everlasting righteousness?
I suppose it is called an everlasting righteousness,
_First_, Because CHRIST’s righteousness was intended by the great GOD to extend to mankind even from eternity. All of you know, that old love is the best love. When we have an old acquaintance, a friend, that has loved us for many years, indeed that love is sweet: though we may love new friends, yet when an old friend and a new friend meet together, we may say, that the old is better. Now this should endear GOD to us, to think that from all the ages of eternity GOD had thoughts of you; GOD intended the LORD JESUS CHRIST to save your souls and mine: hence it is, that GOD, to endear _Jeremiah_ to him, tells him, I have loved thee with an everlasting love. Hence it is, that the LORD JESUS, when he calls his elect people up to heaven, says, “Come, ye blessed of my Father;” what follows? “receive the kingdom prepared for you;” how long? “from the foundation of the world.” All that we receive in time; all the streams that come to our souls, are but so many streams flowing from that inexhaustible fountain, GOD’s electing, GOD’s sovereign, GOD’s distinguishing, GOD’s everlasting love; and, therefore, the righteousness of JESUS CHRIST may properly be called an everlasting righteousness, because GOD intended it from everlasting.