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Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
cause_n	formal_a	justification_n	righteousness_n	6,175	5	8.2431	4	true

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A29689	A golden key to open hidden treasures, or, Several great points that refer to the saints present blessedness and their future happiness, with the resolution of several important questions here you have also the active and passive obedience of Christ vindicated and improved ... : you have farther eleven serious singular pleas, that all sincere Christians may safely and groundedly make to those ten Scriptures in the Old and New Testament, that speak of the general judgment, and of that particular judgment, that must certainly pass upon them all immediately after death ... / by Tho. Brooks ...	Brooks, Thomas, 1608-1680.; Brooks, Thomas, 1608-1680. Golden key to open hidden treasures. Part 2.	1675 (1675)	Wing B4942; ESTC R20167	340,648	428

John 1. 7. imagine that there should be more demerit in any sin yea in all sin to condemn a believer than there is merit in Rom. 8. 1 33 34 35. Christ's righteousness to absolve him to justifie him The righteousness of Christ was shadowed out by the glorious Robes and apparrel of the High Priest That Exod. 30. attire in which the High Priest appeared before God what was it else but a type of Christ's righteousness The filthy garments of Joshua who represented the Church were not only taken off from him thereby signifying the removal of our sins but also a new fair garment Zach. 3. 4 5. was put upon him to signifie our being clothed with the wedding garment of Christ's righteousness If any shall say how is it possible that a soul that is defiled with the worst of sins should be whiter than the snow yea Psal 51. 7. beautiful and glorious in the cyes of God the answer is at hand because to whomsoever the Lord doth give the pardon of his sins which is the first part of our justification to them he doth also impute the righteousness of Christ which is the second part of our justification before God thus David describeth saith the Apostle the blessedness of Rom. 4. 6 7. the man to whom the Lord imputeth reghteousness without works saying blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven and whose sins are covered Now to that man whose sins the Lord forgives to him he doth impute righteousness also Take away the filthy garments from him saith Zach. 3. 4. the Lord of Joshua and he said unto him behold I have cansed thine iniquity to pass from thee and I will cloth thee with change of raiment and what was that change of raiment surely the perfect obedience and righteousness of the Lord Jesus which God doth impute unto us in which respect also we are said by justifying faith to Rom. 12. 14. Gal. 3. 27. put on the Lord Jesus and to be clothed with him as with a garment And no marvel if being so apparelled we appear beautiful and glorious in the sight of God To her that is to Christ's Bride was granted that she should Rev. 19. 8. be arrayed in fine linnen clean and white for the fine linnen is the righteousness of saints This perfect righteousness of Christ which the Lord imputeth to us and wherewith as with a garment he clothed us is the only righteousness which the Saints have to stand before God with and having that Robe of righteousness on they may stand with great boldness and comfort before the judgment-seat of God But Thirdly Know for your comfort that this righteousness of Christ presents us perfectly righteous in the sight of God He is made to us righteousness The Robe of innocency 1 Cor. 1. 30. like the veil of the Temple is rent asunder our righteousness is a ragged righteousness our righteousnesses Isa 6● 4. are as filthy rags Look as under rags the naked body is seen so under the rags of our righteousness the body of death is seen Christ is all in all in regard of righteousness Christ is the end of the Law for righteousness to Rom. 10. 4. them that believe That is through Christ we are as righteous as if we Finis persiciens nen intersic●ens Aug. had satisfied the Law in our own persons The end of the Law is to justifie and save those which fulfil it Christ subjected himself thereto he perfectly fulfilled it for us and his perfect righteousness is imputed to us Christ fulfilled the moral Law not for himself but for us therefore Christ doing it for believers they fulfil the Law in Christ and so Christ by doing and they believing in him that doth it do fulfil the Law or Christ may be faid to be the end of the Law because the end of the Law is perfect righteousness that a man may be justified thereby which end we cannot attain of our selves through the frailty of our flesh but by Christ we attain it who hath fulfilled the Law for us Christ hath perfectly fulfilled the Decalogue for us and that 3 ways 1. In his pure conception 2. In his godly life 3. in his holy and obedient sufferings and all for us for whatsoever the Law required that we should be do or suffer he hath performed in our behalf Therefore one wittily saith that Christ Arctius is Telos the end or tribute and we by his payment Ateleis Tribute free we are discharged by him before God Christ in respect of the integrity and purity of his nature being conceived without sin and in respect of his life and Mat. 1. 18. Luk. 1. 35. 2 Cor. 5. 21. Cel. 1. 20. actions being wholly conformed to the absolute righteousness of the Law and in respect of the punishment which he suffered to make satisfaction unto God's justice for the breach of the Law in these respects Christ is the perfection of the Law and the end of the Law for righteousness to them that believe Jacob got the blessing in the garment of his elder brother so in the garment of Christ's righteousness who is our elder brother we obtain Eph. ● 4. the blessing yea all spiritual blessings in heavenly places we are made the righteousness of God in him The 2 Cor. 5. ult Church saith Marlorat which puts on Christ and his righteousness is more illustrious than the air is by the sun The infinite wisdom and power of dear Jesus in reconciling the Law and the Gospel in this great mystery of justification is greatly to be magnified In the blessed Scriptures we find the righteousness of Justification to take its various denominations In respect of the material cause it is called the righteousness of the Law In respect of the efficient cause it is called the righteousness of Rom. 5. 17. 1 Cor. 1. 30. Rom. 3. 22. Phil. 3. 9. Phil. 3. 9. Rom. 3. 24. Titus 3. 7. Christ in respect of the formal It is called the righteousness of God he imputing of it In respect of the instrumental cause it is called the righteousness of faith And in respect of the moving and final cause we are said to be justified freely by Grace The Law as it was a Covenant of works required exact and perfect obedience in men's proper persons this was legal Justification But in the new Covenant God is contented to accept this righteousness in the hand of a surety and this is Evangelical Justification this righteousness presents us in the sight of God as all fair Cant. 4. 7. as complete Colos 2. 10. as without spot or wrinkle Eph. 5. 27. as without fault before the throne of God Rev. 14. 5. as holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his sight Colos 1. 22. Oh the happiness and blessedness the safety and glory of those precious souls who in the righteousness of Jesus Christ stand perfectly rightcous in the sight of God but

fair so full and so noble a plea to make in the great day of our Lord Jesus But some may say what blessed fruit grows upon this Que. glorious Tree of Paradise viz. the righteousness of Jesus Christ that is imputed to all believers what strong consolations flows from this fountain the Imputed Righteousness of our Lord Jesus Christ I answer there are these nine choice consolations that flow in upon all believers through the righteousness of Christ imputed to them First let all believers know for their comfort that in this Imputed Righteousness of Christ there is enough to satisfie the justice of God to the uttermost farthing and to take off all his judicial anger and fury The mediatory righteousness of Christ is so perfect so full so exact so compleat and so fully satisfactory to the Justice of God as that Divine Justice cries out I have enough and I require no more I have found a ransom and I am fully pacified towards you 'T is certain that Christ was truly Ezek. 16. 61 62 63. Heb. 10. 10 11 12 14. Isa 53. 4 5 6. and properly a sacrifice for sin and 't is as certain that our sins were the meritorious cause of his sufferings he did put himself into poor sinners stead he took their guilt upon him and did undergo that punishment which they should have undergone he did die and shed his blood Rom. 5. 6 12. that he might thereby atone God and expiate sin and therefore we may safely and boldly conclude that Jesus Christ hath satisfied the justice of God to the uttermost Heb. 7. 25. so that now the believing sinner may rejoyce and triumph in the justice as well as in the mercy of God for doubtless the Mediatory righteousness of Christ was infinitely more satisfactory and pleasing to God than all the sins of believers could be displeasing to him God took more pleasure and delight in the bruising of his son in Isa 53. 10. the humiliation of his son and he smelt a sweeter savour in his sacrifice than all our sins could possibly offend him or provoke him when a believer casts his eyes upon his many thousand sinful commissions and omissions no wonder if he fears and trembles but then when he looks upon Christ's satisfaction he may see himself acquitted and rejoyce for if there be no charge no accusation a-against Rom. 8. 33 34 35 36 37. the Lord Jesus there can be none against the believer Christ's expiatory sacrifice hath fully satisfied divine justice and upon that very ground every believer hath cause to triumph in Christ Jesus and in that righteousness 2 Cor. 2. 14. Rev. 14. 4 5. of his by which he stands justified before the Throne of God Christ is a person of infinite transcendent worth and excellency and it makes highly for his honour to justifie believers in the most ample and glorious way imaginable c. and what way is that but by working out for and then investing them with a righteousness adequate to the Law of God a righteousness that should be every way commensurate to the miserable estate of fallen man and to the holy design of the glorious God 'T is the high honour of the second Adam that he hath restored to fallen man a more glorious righteousness than that he lost in the first Adam and it would be high blasphemy in the eyes of Angels and men for any mortal to assert that the second Adam our Lord Jesus Christ was less powerful to save than the first Adam was to destroy The second Adam is able to save to the uttermost all such as come to God through him The second Adam is able to save to all ends and purposes perfectly Heb. 7. 25. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 To the uttermost of time at all times and for ever c. saith Beza perpetually or for ever saith Tremel in aeternum saith Syrus in perpetuum saith the vulg ad plenum saith Erasmus ad perfectum saith Stapulensis he is able to save to the uttermost obligation of the Law preceptive as well as penal and to bring in perfect righteousness as well as perfect innocency he is able to save to the uttermost demand of divine justice by that perfect satisfaction that he has given to divine justice Christ is Isa 63. 1. mighty to save and as he is mighty to save so he loves to save poor sinners in such a way wherein he may most magnifie his own might and therefore he will purchase their pardon with his blood and make reparation to divine 1 Pet. 1. 18 19. justice for all the wrongs and injuries which fallen man had done to his Creator and his Royal Law and bestow upon him a better righteousness than that which Adam lost and bring him into a more safe high honourable and durable estate than that which Adam fell from when he was in his created perfection All the attributes of God do acquiess in the Imputed Righteousness of Christ so that a believer may look upon the holiness Psal 4. 8. justice and righteousness of God and rejoyce and lay himself down in peace I have read in story that Pilat being called to Rome to give an account unto the Emperour for some mis-government and male-administration he put on the seamless coat of Christ and all the time that he had that coat upon his back Caesar's fury was abated Christ has put his coat his Robe of righteousness Isa 61. 10. upon every believer upon which account all the Judicial anger wrath and fury of God towards believers ceaseth Isa 54. 9. For this is as the waters of Noah unto me for as I have sworn that the waters of Noah should no more go over the earth so I have sworn that I would not be wroth with thee nor rebuke thee vers 10. For the mountains shall depart and the hills be removed but my kindness shall not depart from thee neither shall the covenant of my peace be removed saith the Lord that hath merey on thee But Secondly Know for your comfort that this imputed this mediatory Righteousness of Christ takes away all your unrighteousness it cancels every bond it takes Isa 53. 5 6 7. Colos 2. 12 13 14 15. away all iniquity and answers for all your sins Lord here are my sins of omission and here are my sins of commission but the Righteousness of Christ hath answered for them all here are my sins against the Law and here are my sins against the Gospel and here are my sins against the offers of grace the tenders of grace the strivings of grace the bowels of grace but the Rightcousness of Christ hath answered for them all I have read that when a Cordial was offered to a godly man that was sick Oh said he the cordial of cordials which I daily take is that the blood of Jesus Christ cleanseth us from all our sins Oh sirs it would be high blasphemy for any to 1

mouth and ever in Austin's mouth and should be ever in a Christians mouth when his eye is fixed upon the righteousness of Christ Every believer is in a more blessed and happy estate by means of the righteousness of Christ than Adam was in innocency and that upon a three-fold account all which are just and noble grounds for every Christian to rejoyce and triumph in Christ Jesus 1. That righteousness which Gen. 3. chap. Psal 8. 5. E●cles 7. 29. Adam had was uncertain and such as it was possible for him to lose yea he did lose it and that in a very short time God gave him power and freedom of will either to hold it or lose it and we know soon after upon choice he proved a Bankrupt but the righteousness that we have by Jesus Christ is made more firm and sure to us it is that good part that noble portion that shall never be taken from us as Christ said to Mary Adam Luk. 10. 42. sinned away his r●ghteousness but a believer cannot sin away the righteousness of Jesus Christ It is not possible ● John 3. 9. R●m 8. 35 39. for the Elect of God so to sin as to lost Christ or to strip themselves of that robe of righteousness which Christ hath put upon them The gates of ●ell shall never be able Mat. 16. 18. to prevail against that soul that is interested in Christ that is clothed with the righteousness of Christ Now what higher ground of joy and triumph in Christ Jesus can there be than this But Secondly the righteousness that Adam had was in his own keeping the spring and root of it was sounded in himself and that was the cause why he lost it so soon Adam like the Prodigal son had Luk. 15. 12. 13. all his portion his happiness his ●oliness his blessedness his righteousness in his own hands in his own keeping and so quickly lost stock and block as some speak it O but now that blessed righteousness that we have by Jesus Christ is not in our own keeping but in our father's keeping Look as our persons graces and inherent righteousness are kept as in a Garrison by the power of God 1 Pet. 1. 5. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the original is a military word and signifies safe keeping● kept as with a Guard or in a Garrison that is well fenced with walls and works and so is made impregnable unto salvation so that righteousness that we have by Jesus Christ is kept for us by the mighty power of God unto salvation God the father is the Lord Keeper not only of our inherent righteousness but also of the imputed righteousness of Jesus Christ unto us My sheep shall never perish saith our Saviour John 10. 28 29. neither shall any pluck them out of my hand my father that gave them me is greater than all and none is able to pluck them out of my father's hands Though the Saints may meet with many shak●●gs and tossings in their various conditions in this world yet their final perseverance till they come to full poss●●sion of eternal life is certain God is so unchangeable in his purposes of love and so invincible in his power that neither Satan nor the world nor their own flesh shall ever be able to separate them from a Crown of righteousness 2. Tim. 4. 7 8. A Crown of life Rev. 2. 10. A Crown of glory 1 Pet. 5 4. The power of God is so far above all created opposition that it will certainly maintain the Saints in a state of Grace Now what a bottom and ground for rejoycing and triumphing in Christ Jesus is here But Thirdly Admit that the righteousness that Adam had in his Creation had been unchangeable and that he could never have lost it yet it had been but the righteousness of a man of a mere creature and what a poor low righteousness would that have been to that high and glorious righteousness that we have by Jesus Christ which is the righteousness of such a person as was God as well as man yea that righteousness that we have by Jesus Christ is a higher righteousness and a more excellent transcendent righteousness than that of the Angels though the righteousness of the Angels be perfect and compleat in its kind yet it is but the righteousness of mer● creatures But the righteousness of the Saints in which they stand clothed before the throne of God is the righte ousness of that person which is both God and man Look as the second Adam was a far more excellent person than the first Adam was The first man was of the earth earthy 1 Cor. 15. 47. Look as Adam conveighs his guilt to all his children so Christ conveighs his righteousness to all his he was caput cum foedere as well as the first Adam as the Apostle speaks The second was the Lord from heaven not for the matter of his body for he was made of a woman but for the original and dignity of his person whereof you may see a lively and lofty description in Heb. 1. 2 3. so his righteousness also must needs be far more excellent absolute glorious and every way all-sufficient to satisfie the infinite justice of God and the exact perfection of his holy Law than ever Adam's righteousness could possibly have done Remember sirs that that righteousness that we have by Jesus Christ is called the righteousness of God He made him to be sin for us who knew no sin that we might be made the righteousness of God in him saith the Apostle in 2 Cor. 5. 21. Now that righteousness that we have by Jesus Christ is called the righteousness of God 1. because it is such a righteousness as God requires 2. As he approves of and accepts 3. As he takes infinite pleasure and delight and satisfaction in The Righteousness the Apostle speaks of in that Scripture last mentioned is not to be understood of the essential righteousness of Christ which is infinite and no ways communicable to the creature unless we will make a creature a God but we are to understand it of that righteousness of Christ that is imputed to believers as their sin is imputed to him Now what a Well of salvation is here what three noble grounds and what matchless bottoms are here for a Christian's joy and triumph in Christ Jesus who hath put so glorious a Robe as his own righteousness upon them Ah Christians let not the consolations of Job 15. 11. God be small in your eyes why take you no more comfort and delight in Christ Jesus why rejoyce you no more in him not to rejoyce in Christ Jesus is a plain breach of that Gospel command Rejoyce in the Lord alway that is Phil. 4. 4. rejoyce in Christ and again I say rejoyce saith the Apostle he doubleth the mandate to shew the necessity and excellency of the duty so Phil. 3. 1. Finally my brethren rejoyce in the Lord. Now

Christ which is infinitely better than our own yea better than our very lives may I not say yea better than our very souls The branch Christ Jesus is called Jehovah Tsidkenu the Lord our righteousness Jer. 23. 6. And this is his name whereby he shall be called THE LORD OVR RIGHTEOVSNESS Where note first to be called by this name is to be so really for Christ is never called what he is not and so he is to the same purpose elsewhere Mat. 1. 23. called Immanuel God with us that is he shall be so indeed God with us so here he shall be called the Lord our righteousness that is he shall be so indeed Secondly observe this is one of his glorious names that is one of his Attributes which he accounts his excellency and his glory Now all the attributes of Christ are unchangeable so that he can as easily change his nature as his name Now remember that this imputed righteousness of Christ procures acceptance for our inherent righteousness when a sincere Christian casts his eye upon the weaknesses infirmities and imperfections that daily attend his best services he sighs and mourns but if he looks upward to the Imputed Righteousness of Jesus Christ that shall bring forth his infirm weak and sinful performances perfect spotless and sinless and approved according to the tenour of the Gospel so that they become spiritual sacrifices he cannot 1 Pet. 2. 5. but rejoyce For as there is an imputation of righteousness to the persons of believers so there is also an imputation to their services and actions As the fact of Psal 106. 31. Phineas was imputed to him for righteousness so the imperfect good works that are done by believers are accounted righteousness or as Calvin speaks are accounted for righteousness they being dipped in the blood of Christ tincta sanguine Christi i. e. they are accounted righteous actions and so sincere Christians shall be judged Rev. 11. 18. cap. 20. 12. Mat. 25. 34 35 36 37. according to their good works though not saved for them And 't is observable in that famous process of the last judgment that the supreme judge makes mention of the bounty and liberality of the Saints and so bestows the Crown of life and the eternal inheritance upon them so that though the Lord 's faithful ones have eminent cause to be humbled and afflicted for the many weaknesses that cleaves to their best duties yet on the other hand they have wonderful cause to rejoyce and triumph Heb. 13. 20 21. 1 Cor. 6 11. Mal. 4. 2. that they are made perfect through Jesus Christ and that the Lord looks at them through the righteousness of Christ as fruits of his own spirit The Sun of Righteousness hath healing enough in his wings for all our spiritual Maladies The Saints prayers being perfumed with Rev. 8. 3 4. Christ's odours are highly accepted in heaven Upon this bottom of Imputed Righteousness believers may have exceeding strong consolation and good hope through grace that both their persons and services do find singular acceptation with God as having no spot or blemish at all in them Surely Righteousness imputed must be the top of our happiness and blessedness Rom. 4 5 6. But Ninthly and lastly know for your comfort that Imputed Righteousness will give you the greatest boldness before God's Judgment-seat There is an absolute and indispensible necessity of a perfect Righteousness wherewith to appear before God The holiness of God's nature the righteousness of his Government the severity of his Law and the terrour of wrath calls aloud upon the sinner for a compleat Righteousness without which Psal 1. 5. there is no standing in judgment That Righteousness only is able to justifie us before God which is perfect and that hath no defect nor blemish in it such as may abide the tryal before his Judgment-seat such as may fitly satisfie his justice and make our peace with him and consequently such as whereby the Law of God is fulfilled Therefore it is called the Righteousness of God such a Rom. 10. 3. Righteousness as he requires as will stand before him and satisfie his justice so the Apostle saith The righteousness Rom. 8. 4. of the Law must be fulfilled in us Now there is no other Righteousness under heaven whereby the Law of God was ever perfectly fulfilled but by the righteousness of Christ alone no righteousness below the Righteousness of Christ was ever able to abide the tryal at God's judgment-seat and fully to satisfie his justice and pacifie his wrath A gracious soul triumphs more in the Righteousness of Christ Imputed than he would have done if he could have stood in the Righteousness in which he was created This is the crowning comfort to a sensible and understanding soul that he stands righteous before a Judgment-seat in that full exact perfect compleat matchless spotless pearless and most acceptable Righteousness of Christ imputed to him The Righteousness R●m 3. 21 22. cap. 10 3. ●hil 3. 9. of Christ is therefore called the Righteousness of God because it is it which God hath assigned and which God doth accept for us in our justification and for and in which he doth acquit and pronounce us righteous before his seat of Justice There is an indispensible necessity that lies upon the sinner to have such a Righteousness to his justification as may render his appearance safe and comfortable in the day of Judgment Now there is no righteousness that can abide that day of fiery tryal but the Righteousness of Christ imputed to us Paul that great Apostle had as fair and as full a Certificate to shew Phil. 3. 4 5 6. Act. 23 6. 2 Cor. 11. 22. for a legal Justification as any person under heaven had but yet he durst not stand by that righteousness he durst not plead that righteousness he durst not appear in that righteousness before the dreadful Judgment-seat But oh how earnest how importunate is he that he may be found in that great day of the Lord in the Mediatory Righteousness Phil. 3. 9 10. of Christ and not in his own personal righteousness which he looked upon as filthy rags as dross dung dogs meat the great thing that he most strongly insists up on is that he might be clothed with the Robe of Christ's Righteousness for then he knew that the Law could not say black was his eye and that the Judge upon the Bench would pronounce him righteous and bid him enter into the joy of his Lord a joy too great to enter into Mat. 25. 21 23 24 him and therefore he must enter into that when the match is made up between Christ and the soul that soul bears her sovereigns name The spouse of the first Adam and her husband had both one name God called their Gen. 5. 2. name Adam in the day that he made them so the Spouse of the second Adam in the change of her