SERMON VII.

THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS.

AND THIS IS HIS NAME, WHEREBY HE SHALL BE CALLED THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS.-Jeremiah xxiii. 6.

THE great and essential distinction betwixt the legal and evangelical dispensations, is accurately pointed out by the Apostle, where he tells us, that "the law is but the shadow of good things to come, and not the very image of the things." Its types, ceremonies, and outward ordinances, are taken from the objects of temporal nature, which are, at best, but shadowy representations of eternal truth. "The comers thereunto" could never be perfected, by the most minute observation of its external rites. The pious, spiritual Jew, therefore, must have looked further than these, and considered every outward purification, as figuratively expressing an inward cleansing to be performed in their hearts. Moses, their inspired legislator, and the Prophets, who succeeded him, did not fail to acquaint them with the immediate and necessary reference of these temporal symbols to spiritual and eternal truths. Nevertheless, it appears but too evident, from the whole Jewish history, that the generality rested their hopes of salvation, merely upon their outward law. "They went about to establish a righteousness of their own," founded upon a strict observance of the Levitical ceremonies, which were only adapted to their present circumstances, without paying the least attention to

that inward law of righteousness, to which these ceremonies referred. Hence it was, that their Prophets were directed by the Most High, to express, in the strongest terms, his disapprobation of those very ordinances, which he himself had originally instituted for their good; and to tell them, that "He had no pleasure in their burnt-offerings and sacrifices, that their oblations were vain, and that incense was an abomination in his sight." His displeasure was not with the ordinances themselves; for if considered and observed with proper views and dispositions, they would have been subservient to the most glorious purposes: but he was offended with the gross and flagrant abuses of them, which the people were daily committing. Hence also it was, that the same inspired Prophets, when the hand of the Highest drew aside the curtain of futurity, and exhibited to their astonished view the successive displays of Gospel light and truth, with all that variety of heavenly scenery, which his incarnate Son was to open upon our benighted world; hence it was, I say, that the same inspired Prophets were particularly careful to distinguish the new dispensation, by every figure and mode of expression that might lead the most dark and ignorant Jew to consider it as internal and spiritual. The righteousness of the new covenant is widely different from what the carnal Jews apprehended to be the righteousness of the old. With respect to their essence, their foundation, their motives and ends, both covenants are the same, differing only in the external mode of revelation; the old being "the shadow," "the new "the image of the good things to come;" the old pointing to Christ, the new revealing him in all his fulness to the faithful.

Christ Jesus, therefore, is, and must be," the end of the law to those that believe ;" that is, he is and must be, in himself, that very righteousness to which the law pointed, but which it could not attain. It served to instruct its dark and fallen pupils in the outward rudiments of divine truth, but could never communicate to them the light, life and

spirit of that real evangelical righteousness, which is only to be found in the incarnate word of God. It is for this reason, that the Prophet, speaking of the approaching kingdom of the Messiah, in whom all the law and the Prophets were to center, represents him as a "righteous branch springing forth from the root of David; as a king reigning, prospering, and executing judgment and justice on the earth; in consequence of whose mild and equitable administration, Judah should be saved, and Israel should dwell safely:" and as the most characteristical designation of his nature and office, tells us, that "this is his name, whereby he shall be called, the Lord our righteousness.

Let us then inquire, in the first place, why our blessed Redeemer has the name of Righteousness ascribed to him by the Prophet; and, secondly, what we are to understand by his being called our Righteousness.

I. A name in Scripture is generally put to express the intrinsic nature and qualities of the object named. When, therefore, the name of the Messiah is here said to be "righteousness," we must necessarily conclude, that righteousness is his very nature, his essence, the substance of all his attributes and perfections. He is not called righteous, but righteousness itself; the source and fountain, from whence all that is really and truly righteous, throughout the universe, perpetually proceeds.

Jesus Christ is "the brightness of the Father's glory, and the express image of his person." All the beauties, excellencies, powers and virtues, which are insensibly hidden in the invisible Godhead, are substantially, virtually, inwardly, as well as outwardly, opened, revealed, and illustriously displayed in the person of the incarnate Redeemer. "All things were made by him, and without him was not any thing made, that was made. All the thrones, dominions, principalities and powers," possessed by angels, archangels, cherubim and seraphim, are derived from him; for,

“in, and through him did the Father create all things." The highest degree of righteousness which the highest seraph can attain, is but a beam or efflux from this eternal sun. With glory undiminished, he imparts perpetually spiritual life and vigour to all those countless myriads of intelligences, which inhabit the whole compass of universal nature. He is himself the living law, the eternal rule of rectitude and order. God the Father hath "set this his king of righteousness on his holy hill of Sion." Every outward institute revealed and written, which God hath, "at sundry times, and in divers manners,” delivered to the sons of men, was but a transcript of that original law, which lives for ever in the heart of Christ. "I am," says he, "the way, the truth and the life;" "nó man cometh unto the Father, but by me; ye will not come unto me, that ye may have life; without me ye can do nothing." These are his own explicit declarations.

Nature, without this Christ of God, is impurity, empti. ness, poverty, want and wretchedness extreme: whereas nature illuminated, enriched, refreshed, and glorified by Him, is holy, righteous, lovely, and supremely happy. Known, or unknown to our fallen race, it is He alone, who inspires every good thought, every righteous deed, every sentiment and action that is amiable and endearing.

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In the acts of the Apostles we read of an altar with this inscription "to the unknown God!" and St. Paul, taking occasion from this circumstance, tells the Athenian's, "Him, whom ye ignorantly worship, preach I unto you." "In the whole frame of nature," says a truly sublime writer, "every heart, every creature, every affection, every action, is an altar with the same inscription-to the unknown righteousness! to the unknown Jesus.' This is the eternal standard of truth, righteousness and perfection, to which every being in nature ignorantly moveth; this is that which all understandings, all hearts, cannot but admire and adore. But blessed above all beings are they, whose hearts are

spiritual altars, with the righteous person of Christ engraven upon them by the finger of God, flaming with the fire of heavenly love, and bearing this radiant inscription: to the known and experienced beauty and righteousness of that Jesus, whom we know; that word of life, which our eyes have seen, our ears have heard, our hands have handled, and spiritually embraced.'"

It would be wasting time to dwell further on the assertion, that righteousness belongs essentially to Christ; that it resides inherently in him, and is in fact his very nature. Let us, therefore, proceed to inquire, in the second place, what we are to understand by Christ's being called, our righteousness. It is, my brethren, a question of the first importance to those who wish to entertain sound and accurate ideas of their religious principles; involving the very fundamental doctrines of the Christian system. It discovers in what the virtues of the Gospel differ from those of worldly philosophy; in what the Christian must be distinguished from the mere moralist.

II. I have already observed to you, from Scripture, that God created all things, "in and by Jesus Christ," and that "without him was not any thing made that was made." Man, in particular, was "created in the image of God." Christ is the "brightness of the Father's glory, and the express image of his person:" and therefore man was created in Christ.

Man, in himself, in his outward nature, was but an empty vessel, till the Christ of God became his fulness and perfection. His outward form was from the dust of the earth, but his inward spirit was the breath of the Most High. The image of God, even Christ himself, was his first, his sole righteousness and perfection; the infallible instructor, and enlightener of his understanding; the unerring guide, and director of his will. The name by which the Son of God was known to him, was, " The Lord his righteousness."