written of me to doe Thy Will O God Mark that ver 9. Then said he lo I come to do thy will O God He taketh away the first the first sort of sacrifices that he may establish the second viz. sacrifice of his Son vers 10. by the which Will we are sanctified i. e. saved through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all Dr. Owen in his Death of Deaths and Mr. Caryl in his Lectures on Job Some of our Great Divines judiciously judge that much of the merit of Christs Passion doth arise from the eternal Compact and assignment of the Father not excluding the other considerations Now we pass on 5. To the fifth Query and that is this what are the severall causes concurring to our justification A. I answer The causes of our justification are these four chiefly 1. The Efficient 2. The Material 3. The Formal 4. The finall Cause 1. The Efficient cause and that is two-fold either principal or instrumental 1. The principal God the whole Trinity Father Son and Spirit Justification being an outward action ad extra respecting the creatures is the common Act of the whole Trinity God the whole Trinity doth justifie as Law-giver and Judge Jam. 4.12 There is one Law-giver able to save and to destroy he is the Judge of all the Earth by sin we became Gods Debtors and owed him many thousand Talents Christ our Surety payes our Debts and God dischargeth us by sin we were enemies and ungodly Christ our Mediatour reconciles us enemies In summa nemo ad fidei justitiam perveniet nisi qui in se erit impius Calv. in Rom. 4.5 and justifies us by Nature ungodly yea God in Christ reconciles us to himself not imputing to us our trespasses a Cor. 5.19 And this is both a gracious and a righteous Act of God 1. A gracious act Rom. 3.25 we are justified truely by his Grace 2 Tim. 1.9 Ephes 2.5 we are saved by Grace 2. A righteous act of God hereby he eminently declares his Righteousness Rom. 3.26 the Apostle brings it in with an ingemination to declare I say his righteousnesse that he might be just and the justifier of him that believeth in Jesus the righteousness of Christ making plenary yea redundant and superabundant satisfaction to offended justice his justice being satisfied yea honoured with Christs righteousness Now he is not only merciful but also faithful and just to forgive us our sins 1 John 1.7 Now there is a blessed Harmony between the divine Attributes righteousness and mercy do sweetly embrace and kiss each other the Glory of both shine forth most illustriously in and by the bloody passion of the Son of God Now the Acts of God the principal Efficient cause are to be distinguished according to the distinction of the three persons 1. The Father justifies as the primary Cause and Authour he gave his only begotten Son for our justification and salvation John 3.16 2. The Father justifies as Legislatour enacting by his Soveraign Authority that sweet Law of the New Covenant by vertue whereof every believing sinner is justified from the guilt of sin from which he could not be justified by the Law of Moses Acts 13.38.39 This Law of justification by Faith is Gods own act and Deed the great Instrumentum pacis betwen God and man the Tenour of the Gospel our Magna Charta runs that he that believeth shall be saved 3. The Father justifies as a Judge in absolving those that believe and in pronouncing them just in Christ and that in three respects 1 God justifies upon believing actually 1. God justifies a believing sinner upon his believing actually by Faith we are thus justified Rom. 5.1 Gal. 3.8 By believing he hath a Title good in Law an indefesible right to all the promises of the Covenant God then owns and approves of him as a person justified 2. Particularly at Death Heb. 12.23 2. At the moment of dissolution God justifies a Believer particularly as the Judge of all and the Judge of all the Earth passing a particular private Sentence of everlasting life upon every believing Soul 3. Eminently at the Day of Judgment 3. Eminently at the day of judgment God justifies at the last day by the man Christ Jesus Act. 17.31 when the Antient of Dayes shall take the Throne when the Son of Man appearing in power and great Glory shall in open Court before all the world by publick Sentence for ever acquit and discharge Believers at that solemn and Great Day Thus the Father justifies 2. Jesus Christ the Son justifies as the Mediatour and meritorious Cause of our justification and that in two respects 1. As our Surety he paid our Debt Christ is both 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Surety and a Mediatour 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 redemptionis precium and as our Redeemer he laid down the price of our Redemption Rom. 3.23 wee are justified freely by the Grace of God and yet through the redemption that is in Christ His blood was the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the price of our redemption Ephes 1.7 in whom we have redemption through his blood even the forgivenesse of sins according to the riches of his Grace he is the Mediatour of reconciliation between God and Man 2. Christ justifies as our Advocate and Intercessor presenting our persons pleading our cause prevailing with his Father by the speakings of his blood that the vertue of his merits may be applied to us Rom. 8.34 It is God that justifies who shall condemn 't is Christ that died yea rather that is risen again who also maketh intercession for us there is a rather put upon the resurrection and ascention of Christ 1 John 2.2 we have an Advocate with the Father Jesus Christ the righteous Thus Christ justifies 3. The Spirit justifies as the Applicatory Cause he doth reveal and apply to us the righteousness of Christ for our justification 1. The Spirit as the Spirit of Wisdome and Revelation reveals and discovers this Robe of Glory to us this Garment of Salvation Though the Father hath given the Son and the Son hath given himself for our righteousness yet 't is the Spirit that applyes this righteousness Revelation and Application is his peculiar Office 2. As the Spirit of Regeneration working in us the grace of Faith Directly which is one of the fruits of the Spirit Causa Causae est ociam causae Causati whereby we receive and apprehend Christ the Lord our righteousness unto our justification in the Court of Heaven the Spirit justifieth as he is the cause of the cause the Author of Faith that justifies Reflectively 3. As a Spirit of Adoption by confirming our Faith by working in us the assurance of our justification by sealing us up unto the day of Redemption the Spirit it self beareth witness with our spirits that we are the children of God Rom. 8.16 17. Thus the righteousness
of God by the revelation of the Spirit is revealed from Faith to Faith Rom. 1.17 Thus much for the principal efficient cause 2. The instrumental or ministring causes are the Word of God and Faith The Gospel is manus Dei offerentis 1. The ministry of the Word is the instrumental cause on Gods part faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the Word Rom. 10.17 and in Gal. 3.2 the Gospel is called the hearing of Faith God in his Word by his Ministers doth as it were beseech sinners to be reconciled to him 2 Cor. 5.19 20. The Word of God is the vehiculum spiritus the Charriot of the Spirit wherein he rides the Word is the Wardrope Isa 61.10 Matth. 14.44 wherein this glorious Robe of Righteousness is laid up 't is the goodly Field wherein this heavenly treasure is to be found 2. The second instrumental cause is Faith Faith is manus accipientis Faith is the hand of the Soul whereby we receive Christ and apply his righteousnesse * Non 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1. Primo per se ut qualitas propriè aut motus actio vel vel passio aut opus aliquod bonum eximii precii quasi ipsa sit justitia aut ejus pars aut etiam justitiae loco ex censu estimatione Dei sed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 secundario secundum aliud nempe ut modus medium instrumentum ceu oculus manus qua Christi ejusque participes reddimur adeoque relativè ad objectum Iesum ipsius justitiam promissiones gratiae Synop. Pur. Theol. p. 442. John 1.12 Faith justifies Rom. 5.1 But how doth faith justifie Faith justifies as one expresseth it vi legis latae as it is our evangelical righteousness or our keeping the Gospel Law Faith pretends to no merit nor vertue of its own but professedly avows its dependance upon the merit of Christs satisfaction as our legal righteousness on which it layeth hold its excellency ariseth from Gods Sanction who made choyce of this act of Believing to the honour of Justification because it layes the creature low and so highly exalteth Christ The Act of believing is as the Silver Gods Authority in the Gospel-Sanction is as the Kings Image stampt upon it which gives it all its value as to justification without this stamp it could never have been currant Faith doth not justifie as an habit act work or quality as the Papists say but as an instrument or hand to receive Christ and his righteousness * Undè fides imputatur ad justitiam ut Paulus loquitur Rom 4 5. Non quatenus est qualitas nobis inhaerens nec quatenus est opus multo minùs quatenus est meritum sed metonymiâ adjuncti correlativè intellectâ per vocem fidei justitia Christi quâm fides apprehendit ut patet ex eodem cap. 4. v. 11 13. And again nec quatenus est cultus Dei radiâ— omnium aliorum bonorum operum sed quatenus nos Christo conglutina unâ—m cum illo facti partic patiâ—ne justitiae ejus fâ—uamur Polan p. 456 Faith is an empty and a naked thing without its Object Faith puts on this Robe of Glory and wraps the Soul in it but 't is this glorious Robe Christs righteousness that justifies 'T is very certain that the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 credere cannot doth not justifie as Socinus and Arminius teach it doth 'T is true 't s said Rom. 4.5 Faith is imputed for righteousnesse and is accepted of God through Christ for the performance of the whole Law but this is to be understood metonimically and relatively in respect of Christ the object of faith who is the end and perfection of the Law to them that believe by fulfilling the righteousness of the Law for them Faith invites a Soul to Christ brings it into Union with his Person and so into communion of his righteousness And then for works what shall we say of them The Apostle is peremptory and absolute in his Conclusion Rom. 3.28 Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the Law So also Gal. 2.16 Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the Law but by the faith of Jesus Christ c. that is by the works which Christ hath done in our stead by the obedience of Christ which we apply to our selves by Faith alone saith Polanus * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 scripserit Paulus pro 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sicut etiam accipitur Matth. 12.4 1 Cor 7.17 Beza in loc sed tantum per fidem Iesu Christi hoc est per opera quae Christus loco nostro fecit per obedientiam Christi quam solâ fide noble applicamus Polan Faith justifies a sinner before God and works justifie Faith and demonstrate to the world and to our own consciences that our faith is not dead and barren but Jam. 2.4 Living because fruitful faith as working doth not justifie but found justifying faith is a working faith 2. VVe come to consider the essential material cause of our justification that very thing which is our righteousness which God imputeth to us and accepteth on our behalf To this I answer 1. Negatively 1. Negatively what it is not 1. It cannot be our own righteousness inherent in us because inchoate and imperfect Justitiam qua-coram Tribunali Dei Consistimus perfectam omnibus numeris partibus gradibus esse necesse est Quid enim ex se agere poterat ut semel amissam justitiam recuperaret home servus peccati vinctus Diaboli assignata est proinde aliena qui caruit suâ Bernard and the righteousness of justification must be most absolute perfect by the works of the Law shall no flesh be justified 1 no meer man Rom. 3.20 We may therefore cry out with Bernard what is man that is a servant of sin a Bondslave of the Devil able of himself to do for the recovery of righteousness once lost there is therefore the righteousness of another assigned to him who hath lost his own 2. Nor secondly is it the righteousness of Christ meerly and solely as man considered though that was pure and spotless yet it was not infinite and meritorious for Christ taking upon him an humane nature was bound to keep the the Law being made of a woman he was also made under the Law under the Covenant of Works Gal. 4.3 4. the obedience of Christ meerly as man had been no work of supererogation as to us it would have served to justify himself but without the personal Union there would have been no redundancy or over-flowing of merit in it to justify those millions of guilty miscreants Non propter scipsum sed propter nostram salutem â—b demolitionem mortis Condemnationem Christus Advenit Athanas Orat Tertia contra Arrian who through the infinite grace of the Father by the blood of the
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 OR JESUS CHRIST Given of God the Father FOR OUR Justification Explained Confirmed and Applyed very briefly in one Sermon to the Satisfaction of some judicious Hearers for whose sake chiefly and at whose earnest Request it is made Publick Jeremy 23.6 And this is His Name whereby he shall be called THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS 2 Cor. 5.21 For he that is God the Father hath made him that is Jesus Christ to be sin for us that is a sacrifice for sin that we might be made the righteousness of God in him London Printed for Thomas Passenger at the Sign of the Bible on London-Bridge 1667. 1 Cor. 1.30 But of him are ye in Christ Jesus who of God is made unto us Wisdome and Righteousnesse and Sanctification and Redemption And Righteousnesse AT the Request of some serious Friends I have Adventured to make this Discourse publick which otherwise for ought I know had never seen the light If any Illumination Satisfaction Confirmation Consolation or any spiritual Good any way shall accrew to them that read it I shall and will rejoice Blesse and praise the Father of Lights for it This Argument of Justification is as substantial necessary comfortable Ac primum quidem de justificatione peccatoris corum Deo qui locus in Theologiâ facile primarius nobisque maxime salutaris est quo obscurato adulterato vel everso fieri nequit ut puritas doctrinae in aliis locis retineatur aut vera Ecclesia Consistat Synop. Pur. Theol. P. 434. and sweet a Doctrine as any in the whole circuit of Divinity for whom he hath justified them he hath also glorified Rom. 8.30 that is they are as sure and certain of Heaven Christus factus est nobis sapientia justitia sanctificatio Redemptio hoc est sapientes nos justos sanctos liberos effecit Theophylact as though they were already in it Justification being the next step the next immediate link in that Golden Chain to Glorification Who of God is made unto us Righteousnesse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 righteousness in the Abstract that is saith Theophylact who hath made us righteous who is made unto us righteousnes c. He is made to us saith Pareus not by Creation but by Ordination for Christ is not created or made as to his divine Essence as Hereticks deprave this Scripture but he is ordained and bestowed upon us to confer these benefits he is therefore said to be made to us according to those expressions Isa 9.6 To us a Childe is born to us a Son is given And Luke 2 To you is born a Saviour that is for our good He is made of God to us c. that is saith * Factus est nobis non creatione sed ordinatione neque enim Christus creatus aut factus est quoad Essentiam divinam ut haeretici depravant scripturam hanc sed ordinatus donatus nobis ad haec bona conferenda ideo discitur factus nobis sicut Isaiah 9.6 puer natus est nobis Luke 2. vobis natus est servator id est nostro bono Pareus in loc Beza who is given to us of God that we might obtain all wisdome righteousness holiness c. in him and by him All these interpretations are significant and proper enough but the last I best approve of as the most genuine and consonant to the scope of the Text and to the sense of the Apostle only by the way note thus much that by righteousness * Factus est nobis sapientia a Deo c. id est qui datus est nobis a Deo ut in ipso omnem sapientiam Consequeremur c. idem de justitiâ sanctificatione statuendum est Beza in loc here is and must be meant the righteousness of justification for the Apostle immediatly annexeth to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 importing the Righteousness of Sanctification which is the very next word My observation shall be this Jesus Christ was given of God to be our Righteousness or for our justification In the prosecution of this precious and weighty Doctrine I shall endeavour 1. To prove the Point 2. To open the meaning of the word Justifie 3. To shew what the justification of a sinner before God is 4. What are the essential parts of our justification 5. The several Causes of our justification 6. The Fruits and Consequences of our justification 7. And lastly Close all with a brief Application for proof 1. Jesus Christ was decreed designed ordained and determined to be his peoples righteousness propitiation and redemption the justification and redemption of a sinner is according to Gods purpose and grace given us in Christ Jesus before the world began 2 Tim. 1.9 which according to the immutability of his Counsel was in the fulness of time accomplisht That in Daniel is very emphatical Dan. 9 34. To bring in everlasting righteousness 't is in the original a Righteousness of Eternities So in Heb. 9.12 it it said that Christ obtained eternal Redemption for us Our Redemption Eternal a parte ante a parte post or Righteousness may be called Eternal upon a double accompt 1. Eternal in reference to the eternal Decree of God and so a Righteousness from Eternity 2. External in reference to the everlasting duration of the vertue of it the great and glorious Benefits that accrue to Believers by vertue of this Righteousness extend their vertue continue their influence throughout the endless duration of Eternity 'T is a Righteousness from all Eternity and a Righteousness unto all Eternity Rom. 3.25 Whom God hath set forth from everlasting or fore-appointed to be a propitiation through faith in his blood 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quem proposuit Deus propitiationem Montan. to declare his righteousness c. Christ was A. Lamb slain from the beginning of the world Rev. 13.8 viz. in the eternal purpose and Decree of God 2. Consider Christs glorious Name This is his Name wherewith he shall be called the Lord our Righteousness Jer. 23.6 This is like his other Name Jesus the same in substance with this Matth. 1.21 by the Oracle of an Angel his Name must be called Jesus for he shall save his people from their sins i. e. from the power guilt and condemnation of sin 3. 'T is the office of Jesus Christ as our High Priest to be our Righteousness Jesus Christ was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he was our Redeemer the price of our Redemption a Counter-price our Redemption and revocation from Captivity he was both the propitiatory and propitiation he was Priest he was Altar he was Sacrifice he was All in All Jam fructum ostendit quem ex Christi sacrificio consequuti sumus nimirum ut justi coram Deo essemus qui naturâ impuri sumus Marlorat in 2 Cor. 5.21 to make us the righteousness of God in him 2 Cor. 5. ult that is that we who are impure sinners
by nature through the sacrifice of Christ might become righteous before God He is our Advocate 1 Joh. 2.2 and propitiation Jesus Christ the Righteous yea he is our 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 our propitiatory or placatory Rom. 3.25 alluding to the Mercy-seat 1 Cor. 5.7 He is our Passeover sacrificed for us he is the Lamb of God slain for us that the wrath of God might pass over 1 Pet. 1.18 and pass away for ever from us and not fall down upon our heads if your hearts and Consciences are sprinkled with the blood of Christ as the Door-posts of the Children of Israel were with the blood of the Paschal-lamb Exod. 12.7 the wrath of God will for ever pass by you and not pass upon you Thus Jesus Christ is a merciful and faithful High-priest Heb. 2.17 merciful to us in misery pittying us in our guilt and blood faithful to God and to us also in the faithful discharge of his Priestly Office for us in being our Price our Ransom in discharging our Bond in pacifying the Fathers wrath in satisfying divine Justice in finishing Transgression in making an end of sin in bringing in everlasting Righteousnesse and so in bringing us to God 1 Pet. 3.18 Now as he is our merciful and faithful High Priest Justitia hoc est justificator noster donans nos vera justitiâ coram Deo per fidem Ad sacerdotale munus Christi hoc pertinet Pareus in 1 Cor. 1.30 so he is our Righteousnesse 1 our Justifyer endowing us with a perfect Righteousness before God through faith this belongs to the Priestly Office of Christ Jesus Christ is the Author or the procuring cause of our justification as he is the Author of our eternal Salvation Heb. 5.9 And this he doth two wayes 1. By making an Atonement for us on Earth 2. By making intercession for us in Heaven He hath made reconciliation for us by his blood upon the Crosse Rom. 5 1â— and he doth continue to make intercession for us by the prevalent and loud cryes of the same blood in Heaven Heb. 12.24 He is gone up to Heaven to appear in the presence of God for us Heb. 9.24 just as Aaron a type of Christ Exod. 28.12 29. and 30. verses was to bear the name of the children of Israel a figure of all the Elect of God engraven in precious stones upon his Shoulders and upon his Heart when he went into the holy Place for a memorial before the Lord continually So our Lord Christ is entred into the Heavens with red and glorious Garments to appear in the presence of God for us there is not the least Believer but his name is as it were engraven upon the Shoulders Breast-plate and Heart of Christ Of all cryes the cryes of blood are the strongest the loudest whether for or against a guilty person Abels blood cryed aloud to God for vengeance Gen. 4.10 but this blood of sprinkling speaketh better things than that of Abels it pleads sues presses hard for a discharge from all thy sins and enemies it cryes aloud for mercy peace and pardon Lord saith Christ here is my price and my purchase my Redemption and my redeemed Ones here is my Righteousness and here are the persons justified by it whatever charge or guilt lyes upon them here are the shoulders that have sustained the weight of thy wrath which was their due upon these shoulders and in this heart thou mayest behold all their names engraven acquit and absolve th m for my sake Father I will that they be righteous by my Righteousness and glorious with my Glory My tears my stripes my wounds my groans my anguish my Blood the tortures of my Body the torments of my Soul do all pray and plead prevailingly that all believing sinners be justified and saved Thus Christ appears in Heaven with red Garments with Garments rolled in blood and with the whites of peace pardon justification and absolution upon the red with all the names of his justified sanctified ones engraven upon his shoulders and upon his heart before the Lord continually to present his everlasting Righteousness to the Father for us to present our persons as righteous and spotless enwrap'd in that glorious Robe of Righteousness and to impropriate and apply his everlasting Righteousness to us Thus I have proved that Christ is our Righteousness Vox justificandi 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 inde justificationis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 propriè fere semper forinseca forensis actio est judicis judicii scilicet in rei absolutione condemnationi opposita Synop. Pur. Theol. p. 434. Justificare absolvere à est morte non condemnare Syntag. Polan p. 455. 2. We come in the next place to open the meaning of the word justifie Justification is a Law-state and the words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are verba forensia or judicial or Court-Terms taken from Courts of Justice It imports the absolution of a guilty person the word justification is in holy Writ opposed to condemnation To justifie saith Polanus is to absolve from death not to condemn Though justificare sometimes may note as much as justum facere if you respect the notation of the Latin word as magnificare importeth to magnifie or make great neither is it to be doubted but that the Lord doth constitute or make those just whom he justifieth they are just both by the imputation of Christs Righteousness which is out of them in Christ as being his personal righteousness and by infusion of righteousness as it were by influence into them from Christ their Head to the faithful belongs a two-fold Righteousness the one of Justification the other of Sanctification Reverend Downam's Treatise of Justification p. 2 3. I shall make it evident saith the learned Bishop Downame that the Hebrew Hitsdiq and the Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is verbum forense a judicial word taken from Courts of justice which being attributed to the Judge is opposed to Condemnation and signifieth to absolve Justificare est justum reputare justum pronunciare or to give sentence with the party questioned Thus far he So that to justifie both from Scriptures and the writings of the Fathers is as much as to absolve or acquit a believing sinner from guilt and condemnation and to accept him as righteous through the righteousness of Jesus Christ To justifie is to repute and pronounce a man just or righteous Justification is opposed to Condemnation Rom. 8.33 it is God that justifies 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not one condemnation to them that are in Christ J sus Rom. 8.1 i. e. acquits absolves who shall condemn so the word is taken Deut. 25.1 The Judges are commanded to justifie the righteous and to condemn the wicked lâ—kewise Prov. 17.15 he that justifies the wicked and condemns the righteous they are both an abomination to the Lord. So
Son are justified Wherefore Christ came not for himself but for our salvation c. saith Athanasius Non est essentialis justitia Dei ut Andreas Osiander contendebat cujus errorem refutavit Calvin Institut tertio libro 2. It is not the Essential Righteousness of the God-head not that righteousness wherewith God is righteous 't is not the righteousness of Christ as God solely though it is called the righteousness of God 2 Cor. 5.21 Rom. 1.17 and so called because 't is the righteousness of him who is truly God as well as truly man in one person and 't is the righteousness which God appointeth and accepteth for our justication But it is not the Essential uncreated righteousness of God which being the Essence of God cannot be communicated to any creature much less can it become the accidental righteousness of any creature 2. Positively 2. Positively that which is our righteousness for justification It is the most Adequate and perfect obedience of Jesus Christ the Mediatour God-man to the whole Law of God Consisting in a most exact conformity of his whole humane Nature with all its actions and passions thereunto whereby Justitia Iesu Christi per quam justificamur coram Deo est perfectissima totius legis divinae obedientia consistens in exactissimâ totius naturae Humanae Christi omniumque Actionum passionum ejus internarum externarum conformitate cum tota lege Dei quam loco nostro persectissime implevit ut nobis a morte aeternâ liberationem jus vitae aeternae acquireret Syntag Polan p. 457. both actively and passively he fulfill'd the Law most perfectly For proof you may please to read Rom. 8.3 4. Gal. 4.3 4. Rom. 5.16 17 18 19. For as by one mans disobedience many were made sinners so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous vers 19. O Believers this Garment of Sun-beams wrought out for ye by the Sun of righteousness must needs be glorious if ye consider 1. That Christs humane Nature was never stained neither with original nor actual sin for by his divine Conception by the Holy Ghost he received of his Virgin Mother a pure un-deflowred Virgin Nature which all along he kept immaculate 2. The Humane nature in him is dignified with Union to the Divine to the second person in the Trinity in which it doth subsist as God descended to the lowest to become man so now man viz. the humane Nature ascendeth to the highest to be personally one with God 'T is the righteousness of Christ the Mediatour 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God-man in one person though inherent in the Humane Nature and performed by it And this is that which by communication of properties gives infinite value vertue and eternal efficacy to the obedience of Jesus Christ wherefore 't is called the righteousness of God This I must profess to be the chief stay of my faith and the principal foundation of my comfort that He is Jehovah our righteousness Jer. 23.6 that he who is God blessed for ever Rom. 9.5 is the root and off spring of David that 't is the Prince of Life that died Acts 3.15 that the Lord of Glory was crucified 1 Cor. 2.8 that that blood which is the price of my redemption and justification is the blood of God that he that was in the form of God Acts 20.28 and thought it no robbery to be equal with God did humble himself and became obedient to the death of the Crosse for me Phil. 2.6 8 Gal. 2.20 which whole humiliation of Jesus Christ God-man from his conception to his crucifixion Some say it consists both in applicatione pronunciatione ipsius Dei Justitia Dei est non peccare justitia bominis est non imputari peccatum Bernard Serm 23. â— Canâ—c especially his bloody passion is the material cause of our justification Thus much for the essential material Cause of our justification 3. What is the formal Cause of our justification I answer 'T is the imputation of Christs Righteousness because by imputing and applying it to us he is pleased to justify us Rom. 4.11 Psalm 32.1 Rom. 4.8 2 Cor. 5.19 Acts 10.43 Acts 13.28 29. St. Ambrose Bishop Downame and others do express it by this simile When Rebecca cloathed her son Jacob with the garments of her elder son Esau the matter of the action was the garment of Esau which being applyed to him did cover him but the form of the action was the applying it to him the indution or putting it upon him so the matter of our justification is Christs righteousness the formal cause of our justification is the Fathers imputing or applying Christs righteousness to us The Apostle most clearly argues by way of comparison between Adam and Christ Rom. 5.17 18 19. how could the disobedience of Adam be made ours for condemnation or the obedience of Christ be made ours for justification unto life but only by imputation seeing they are both transient Acts. A learned Philosopher tells us Motus non est nisi dum fit postquam factus est non est Jul. Scaliger That a motion whether action or passion hath no being but while it is in doing or suffering but after it is done it hath no being the disobedience of the one and the obedience of the other the transgression of Adam and the righteousness of Christ can be no way conveyed to us but by imputation which term of imputation of Christs righteousness notwithstanding the Papists scoffing at it and calling it putative righteousness is used ten times in Rom. 4. 4. The End or final Cause for which God doth justifie a sinner by imputation of Christs righteousness and that is either supream or subordinate Utriusque enim misericordiae justitiae admirabile hic temperamentum relucet 1. The supream End is the manifestation of the Glory both of his justice and mercy as both which concur in all his works so chiefly in this great work of Justification The Lord is righteous in all his works and holy in all his wayes Ps 145.17 1. That his Justice might be fully Glorified God sent and set forth his own Son to be a propitiation for our sins and hath punished them in his humane Nature I say saith the Apostle to declare his righteousness Rom. 3.25 26. that he might be just and the justifier of him that bélieveth in Jesus 2. That his grace mercy also might eminently be magnified he hath sent his only begotten Son into the World that we might be justified freely by his Grace through the redemption that is in Christ Deus Pater nos justificat ut judex quidem sed sedens in Throno Gratiae c. Synops Rom. 3.25 and that we should be to the praise of the glory of his Grace wherein he hath made us accepted in the Beloved Ephes 1 6. Wherefore not unto us not unto us not to any works of righteousness