A discourse of the saving grace of God

And how is it of Grace upon these Terms? how is the Covenant of the Gospel more Gracious than that of Works? It cannot be said that it is more Gracious, because it requires and accepts less, sincere Obedience being not so much as that which is Perfect: For sincere Obedience may be counted as much to Man in his present State of Sin and Impotency, as Perfect Obedience in the State of Innocency and Perfection. But the transcendent Graciousness of the Gospel Covenant, consists not in requiring less Righteousness to give Title to Life, than was due at first; but in not requiring a Perfect Righteousness of us Personally for that end, but providing and accepting that of a surety, according to that of the Apostle, Rom. 8. 3, 4. The Law could not give us Life, because being weakened by sin, we could not Perform the Perfect Righteousness which is required; but what the Law could not do, Christ has done, giving us Title to Life, fulfilling the Righteousness of it in our behalf. But does not the Scripture declare, that our Obedience is the Obedience which gives Title to Life? Rev. 22. 14. I Answer, There is a double Right, Jus: ad ⟨p. 143⟩rem, and Jus in re; a Right of Title, and a Right of Possession: Holy Obedience gives us not the Title, but leads us into Possession. It gives not the Title, for that we have in Justification, Rom. 5. 18. Now Obedience is after Justification, and so cannot give that which is before it self, and does not give that which is given already. But it leads us into Possession, it is the Way by which we enter; so the Word immediately following will have it understood. When the Apostle had declared that we are Saved by Grace, Eph. 2. 8. and so excluded Works, Vers. 9. that we may count this to be our Title to Salvation, yet he adds, Ver. 10. We are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them. These are the Ways wherein we must walk, if we will arrive at Salvation; but they are not our Title to it, as Perfect Obedience would have been in the first Covenant, the Law of Works; they are not such Conditions, they are not our Righteousness, (upon which our Title is Founded) as that was designed to be: They are not Legal Conditions.