_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.
_Secondly_, It is called an everlasting righteousness, because the
efficacy of CHRIST’s death took place immediately upon _Adam_’s fall.
Christianity, in one sense, is as old as the creation. Great Professor
_Franck_, of _Germany_, says, “That CHRIST is the sum and substance
of all righteousness.” Mr. _Henry_ observes, “That the LORD JESUS
CHRIST is the treasure hid in the field of the Old Testament, under
the types and shadows of the _Mosaic_ dispensation.” We have the Sun
of Righteousness shining in his full meridian in the New Testament
dispensation. Now the righteousness of JESUS CHRIST, may be called an
everlasting righteousness, because all the saints that have been saved,
or that ever will be saved, are all saved by the righteousness of
CHRIST. A great many censorious people are mighty inquisitive to know,
what will become of the heathens, that never heard of JESUS CHRIST.
I would say to such persons, as the LORD JESUS CHRIST did to another
curious enquirer, “What is that to thee? follow thou me.” Pray, for
what should you and I trouble ourselves about the heathens? Are not we
heathens? It is too true, that we have too much of the heathens temper
and practice with us. But why should we lose our time in enquiring
about what will become of the heathen, and not rather enquire what will
become of our own souls? We may be sure GOD will deal with heathens
according to their light: if he has given them no revelation, they will
not be judged by a revelation; if they have not had a law, they will
be judged without law. But as for the _Jews_ and _Gentiles_, who have
the gospel revealed to them, however Deists may argue contrary to it;
however they may set up reason in opposition to divine revelation;
we may be sure none were ever saved, or will be saved, but by the
righteousness of CHRIST. It was through faith in him, that _Abel_ was
saved; it was through the sacrifice of JESUS CHRIST, that _Abraham_
was accepted, and that all the prophets of old were accepted; and there
is none other name given under heaven, whereby we can be saved, but
that of CHRIST. And therefore, since persons under the law, and under
the gospel, are to be saved only through CHRIST; therefore, CHRIST’s
righteousness may properly be called an everlasting righteousness. But
this is not all.
_Thirdly_, The righteousness of JESUS CHRIST, is not only to be called
an everlasting righteousness, because that all persons under the law,
and all persons under the gospel, are saved by it; but because the
efficacy thereof, blessed be GOD for it! is to continue till time shall
be no more. Blessed be GOD for JESUS CHRIST! the efficacy of whose
blood, death, and atonement, is as great and as effectual now to the
salvation of poor sinners, as when he bowed his blessed head, and gave
up the ghost: “JESUS CHRIST is the same yesterday, to-day, and for
ever;” and whosoever believes on him now, whosoever comes to, and
accepts of him, shall now see his power, shall taste of his grace, and
shall be actually saved by him, the same as if he had been in company
with those who saw him expiring.
_Fourthly_, CHRIST’s righteousness may be called an everlasting
righteousness, because the benefit of it is to endure to everlasting
life. Indeed, some people tell us, that a person may be in CHRIST
to-day, and go to the devil to-morrow: but, blessed be GOD, ye have
not so learned CHRIST! No, my dear friends, thanks be to GOD for that
divine text, “There is now no condemnation to them that are in CHRIST
JESUS.” Though GOD’s people may fall foully; and though many are full
of doubts and fears, and say, “One day I shall fall by the hands of
_Saul_;” however ye may say in your haste, “All men are liars;” however
your poor souls may be harassed, yet no wicked devil, nor your own
depraved heart, shall be able to separate you from the love of GOD:
GOD has loved you, GOD has fixed his heart upon you, and having loved
his own, he loves them unto the end. The LORD of life and of glory,
the blessed JESUS, will never cease loving you, till he hath loved and
brought you to heaven; when he will rejoice, and say, “Behold me, O
my Father, and the dear children that thou hast given me; thou gavest
them me; thine they were, I have bought them with my blood, I have
won them with my sword and with my bow, and I now will wear them as
so many jewels of my crown.” Therefore, JESUS CHRIST’s righteousness
may be called an everlasting righteousness, because those who once
take hold of, and are interested in it, shall be saved everlastingly by
CHRIST: “It is GOD that justifies us, (says St. _Paul_) who is he that
condemneth? It is CHRIST that died, yea rather that is risen again.”
He gives devils the challenge, “O death, where is thy sting, O grave,
where is thy victory? Who shall separate us from the love of GOD? I
am persuaded that neither death nor life, neither principalities nor
powers, nor any other creature, shall ever be able to seperate us from
the love of GOD, which is in CHRIST JESUS our LORD.” Those whom GOD
justifies, he also glorifies. And because CHRIST lives, blessed be GOD,
we shall live also. I know not what you may say; but though I trust I
have felt the grace of CHRIST, yet I find that I have as much need to
come to CHRIST every day for fresh strength, as if I had never believed
before: and if I was to depend upon my own faithfulness, and not the
faithfulness of the Son of GOD, I am sure I should soon desert the LORD
JESUS CHRIST. But glory be to GOD, he is faithful that hath promised!
Glory be to GOD, our salvation depends not upon our own free will, but
upon GOD’s free grace! Here is a sure bottom; the believer may build
upon it; let the storms blow as long and as high as they please, they
may make the poor creature tremble, but blessed be GOD, they never
shall be able to take him off the foundation; though they may shake
him, they shall only shake off his corruption: and I believe all that
fear GOD, will be glad to part with it. On all these accounts, CHRIST’s
righteousness may be called an everlasting righteousness.
III. It is said, in my text, that JESUS was to bring it in. What are
we to understand by his bringing it in? Our LORD’s promulgating and
proclaiming it to the world. Indeed, it was brought in under the law;
but then it was brought in under types and shadows, and most of the
_Jews_ looked no further. But JESUS CHRIST brought life and immortality
to light by the gospel. The light of _Moses_ was only twilight; the
light of the gospel, is like the sun at noon-day, shining in his
full meridian. Therefore, JESUS CHRIST may be said to bring in this
everlasting righteousness, because he proclaimed it to the world, and
commanded it to be preached, that GOD sent his Son into the world, that
the world through him might be saved.
Again, The LORD JESUS CHRIST brought in this righteousness, as he
wrought it out for sinners upon the cross. Some Antinomians, for want
of a proper distinction, run into a grievous error, telling us, Because
GOD intended to justify by the righteousness of JESUS CHRIST, therefore
man is justified from all eternity: which is absurd: a person cannot
be justified, till he is actually existing; therefore, though man is
justified, as it lies in GOD’s mind from all eternity, yet it was not
actually brought in till the LORD JESUS CHRIST pronounced those blessed
words, “It is finished;” the grand consummation! then JESUS brought
it in. A new and a living way was to be opened to the Holy of Holies,
for poor sinners, by the blood of CHRIST. But I do not think that the
expression, _brought in_, is to be limited to this sense, though I
suppose it is the primary one; it implies not only CHRIST’s bringing
it into the world, as promulgating, and having it written in the word
of GOD, and as having wrought it out for sinners in his life, and on
the cross; but he brings it in, in a manner, which, I pray GOD may
take place this night; I mean, bringing it, by his blessed Spirit, into
poor believers hearts. All that CHRIST hath done, all that CHRIST hath
suffered, all CHRIST’s active obedience, all CHRIST’s passive obedience,
will do us no good, unless by the Spirit of GOD, it is brought into
our souls. As one expresses it, “An unapplied CHRIST is no CHRIST at
all.” To hear of a CHRIST dying for sinners, will only increase your
damnation, will only sink you deeper into hell, unless we have ground
to say, by a work of grace wrought in our hearts, that the LORD JESUS
hath brought this home to us. Hence it is, that the Apostle, speaking
of CHRIST, says, “Who loved me, and gave himself for me.” O that dear,
that great, that little, but important word, _me_. Happy they, who can
adopt the Apostle’s language! Happy they that can apply it to their
own heart; and when they hear that CHRIST has brought in an everlasting
righteousness, can say, Blessed be GOD, it is brought in by the blessed
Spirit to my soul!
Are there any here that can go along with me on this doctrine? But
why do I ask this question, when preaching to numbers, who, I hope,
have tasted of the grace of GOD long ago? I do not know; I cannot
distinguish you; you are just like other people, as to your looks
and habits; but if I do not, and if your neighbours cannot know you,
that great GOD, in whose presence you are, knows you; He, before whose
tribunal we are shortly to appear, knows you. If CHRIST JESUS hath
brought his everlasting righteousness into your heart; if it is applied
by the Spirit of GOD to your soul, what shall I say to you? I will say
as the Angel to _John_, “Come up hither,” thou child of GOD! Come up
hither, thou son, thou daughter of _Abraham_! Come and join with me, in
calling upon angels and archangels, in calling upon the spirits of just
men made perfect, to help thee to praise that loving Redeemer, that
has brought in an everlasting righteousness. O was ever love like this!
When _Abraham_ was about to offer up his son, GOD said, “Now I know
that thou lovest me, since thou hast not withheld thy son, thine only
son from me.” Now may each child of GOD say, “Now, O GOD, I know that
thou hast loved me, since thou hast not withheld thy Son, thy dear
Son, the LORD JESUS CHRIST, from dying for me.” If thou hast got CHRIST
brought into thy soul by faith, O look forward, look towards a happy
eternity; O look towards those everlasting mansions, into which GOD
will bring thee after death. My dear friends, I could say much from
this text to comfort GOD’s people: But
I must address myself to you, poor souls, who cannot say, that this
righteousness has been brought home to your souls; but if it was never
brought home before, may GOD, for the LORD JESUS CHRIST’s sake, bring
it home now! Are any of you depending upon a righteousness of your
own? Do any of you here, think to save yourselves by your own doings?
I say to you, as the Apostle said to one that offered money for a
power to confer the gift of the Holy Ghost, your righteousness shall
perish with you. Poor miserable creatures! What is there in your tears?
what in your prayers? what in your performances, to appease the wrath
of an angry GOD? Away from the trees of the garden; come, ye guilty
wretches, come as poor, lost, undone, and wretched creatures, and
accept of a better righteousness than your own. As I said before, so
I tell you again, the righteousness of JESUS CHRIST is an everlasting
righteousness: it is wrought out for the very chief of sinners. Ho,
every one that thirsteth, let him come and drink of this water of life
freely. Are any of you wounded by sin? Do any of you feel you have no
righteousness of your own? Are any of you perishing for hunger? Are any
of you afraid ye will perish for ever? Come, dear souls, in all your
rags; come, thou poor man; come, thou poor, distressed woman; you, who
think GOD will never forgive you, and that your sins are too great to
be forgiven; come, thou doubting creature, who art afraid thou wilt
never get comfort; arise, take comfort, the LORD JESUS CHRIST, the LORD
of life, the LORD of glory, calls for thee: through his righteousness
there is hope for the chief of sinners, for the worst of creatures.
What if thou hadst committed all the sins in the world? What if thou
hadst committed the sins of a thousand, what if thou hadst committed
the sins of a million of worlds? CHRIST’s righteousness will cover, the
blood of the LORD JESUS CHRIST will cleanse thee from the guilt of them
all. O let not one poor soul stand at a distance from the Saviour. My
dear friends, could my voice hold out, was my strength equal to my will,
I would wrestle with you; I would strive with arguments, till you came
and washed in this blood of the Lamb; till you came and accepted of
this everlasting righteousness. O come, come! Now, since it is brought
into the world by CHRIST, so in the name, in the strength, and by
the assistance of the great GOD, I bring it now to the pulpit; I now
offer this righteousness, this free, this imputed, this everlasting
righteousness to all poor sinners that will accept of it. For GOD’s
sake accept it this night: you do not know but ye may die before
to-morrow. How do ye know, but while I am speaking, a fit of the
apoplexy may seize, and death arrest you? O my dear friends, where
can ye go? where will ye appear? How will ye stand before an angry
GOD, without the righteousness of the LORD JESUS CHRIST put upon your
souls? Can ye stand in your own rags? Will ye dare to appear before a
heart-searching GOD, without the apparel of your elder brother? If ye
do, I know your doom: CHRIST will frown you into hell: “Depart, depart,
ye cursed, into everlasting fire,” shall be your portion. Think, I
pray you, therefore, on these things; go home, go home, go home, pray
over the text, and say, “LORD GOD, thou hast brought an everlasting
righteousness into the world by the LORD JESUS CHRIST; by the blessed
Spirit bring it into my heart!” then, die when ye will, ye are safe; if
it be to-morrow, ye shall be immediately translated into the presence
of the everlasting GOD: that will be sweet! Happy they who have got
this robe on; happy they that can say, “My GOD hath loved me, and I
shall be loved by him with an everlasting love!” That every one of you
may be able to say so, may GOD grant, for the sake of JESUS CHRIST, the
dear Redeemer; to whom be glory for ever. _Amen._