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The Breast-plate of Righteousness.
Ephes. 6.14. And having on the Breast-plate of Righteousness, &c.
THere is a
- Moral
- Legal
- Evangelical
Now a Moral or Legal Righteousness will not save or defend the Saint, or spiritual Souldier of Jesus Christ, from his Enemy:* 1.1 Except your Righteousness exceed the Righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees, ye can in no wise enter into the Kingdom of Hea∣ven. Paul valued not his own Righteousness that was of the Law. All our Righ∣teousness, viz. that which flows not from Faith, or from a renewed Principle of the Spirit, is but as filthy Rags. Therefore that cannot be the Righteousness here intended.
2. Evangelical Righteousness is twofold:
- 1. Imputed.
- 2. Imparted.
First; The Righteousness imputed is that which was wrought by Christ for the Believer in the days of his Flesh, by his active and passive Obedience to the Law of God, which is put upon the Soul by Faith, called the Righteousness of God by Faith.* 1.2
Secondly; The Righteousness imparted is that which is wrought by Christ in the Soul; it is a supernatural Work, or a new Life planted in the Heart of every Belie∣ver, by the powerful Operations of the Holy-Ghost, whereby he is made holy, and enabled to approve himself to God and Men, in all purity of Life and Conversation.
By the Breastplate of Righteousness in the Text, we understand the Righteousness of Sanctification is principall•• intended; for otherwise this piece of Christian Ar∣mor would interfere with the Shield of Faith, which comprehends the Righteous∣ness of Justification. [See Shield.] It is (we say) a Principle of new Life, which the Spirit works in the Heart of a Believer; hence the several Graces of Holiness are called the Fruits of the Spirit, Gal. 5.22. Man by the Fall had a double Loss; first, the Love of God; secondly, the Image or Likeness of God: Christ restores both to his Children; the first, by his Righteousness imputed; the second, by his Spirit im∣parting the lost Image of God to them, which consists in Righteousness and true Holiness. Who but a Man can impart his own Nature, and beget a Child like him∣self? So who but the Spirit of God can make a Creature like God, by causing him to partake of the Divine Nature?
1. This is that Principle of new Life, viz. an inward Disposition, and Divine Quality, sweetly, powerfully, and constantly stirring up and inclining to that which is holy, and spiritually good.
2. The Work of the Spirit in this respect was not to recover what was dying,* 1.3 but to work Life de novo in a Soul quite dead; hence called a creating, quickning, form∣ing, and renewing Work.
3. It is a supernatural Principle, by which we distinguish it from Adam's Righte∣ousness, which was co-natural to him, as Sin is to us. Holiness was as natural to him, as Health was to his Body; they both resulted ex Principiis rectè constitutis, from Principles pure and rightly disposed.
Why Righteousness is called a Breast-plate, will appear by the following Parallel.
Metaphor. | Parallel. |
A Breast-plate is a main and principal Piece of Armor, that belongs to a Souldier. | RIghteousness in like manner is a principal thing belonging to all Christians, who are called Souldiers of Christ:* 1.4 Endure Hardness as a good Soul∣dier, &c. |
II. A Breast-plate is a piece of Armor that every Souldier ought to |