we shall be saved from wrath c. Do we then make voyd the Law Rom. 8.32 through Faith God forbid yea we establish the Law In all the letter and scope of Scriptures upon this point the form of our Justification appears to be the Imputation or Accounting of our Faith for our right or Justification to the rights promised Ro. 5.17 8. There is mention made of Abundance of Grace and of the gift of righteousness And that by the righteousness of one the free-gift came upon all Men unto justification of life And that by one Man's obedience many were made righteous Phil. 3.9 St. Paul also desires That he may be found in Christ not having his own righteousness which is of the Law but that which is through the Faith of Christ the righteousness which is of God by Faith No Man is justified by the Law in the sight of God for the just shall live by Faith and the Law is not of Faith but the Man that doth them shall live in them Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the Law being made a curse for us For it is written Cursed is every one that hangeth on a Tree That the Blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through Faith And the promise that Abraham should be the Heir of the World Ro. 4.13 was not to him or to his Seed through the Law but through the righteousness of Faith SECT III. But in all those places or any other Christ's Righteousness I cannot find any imputation of Christ's Righteousness The Righteousness of Faith and the Righteousness of God by Faith I find but no other By the Righteousness of Christ must be meant his personal obedience to the moral Law which cannot be made ours or translated to us or accounted to us and reckoned as ours for diverse and weighty reasons First because Christ's obedience was the obedience of a Mediator fitted exactly for such a Person and Office and no other A High Priest harmless undefiled separated from sinners c. Hebr. 7.26 one that makes all Men just and righteous and is made unto them righteousness sanctification and Redemption and is God our Righteousness That hath the Spirit of Righteousness without measure that is anointed above all his Fellows with that fulness from which we all receive Grace for grace whose Glory is the Glory of the only Begotten Son of God full of Grace and Truth and much more than the Tongue of Men or Angels can express Now for a Man to be clothed with the Robes of this Righteousness as they speak is to appear before God not in the habit of a righteous and justified Man but of the justifier of the Sons of Men whose righteousness is too excellent and glorious for our condition of a Mediator God and Man We are the better for his active and passive obedience for it is the cause of our Righteousness by Faith The Members partake of the benefit of the Head The Wife is endow'd by Marriage with all her Husband's goods but the virtue of the Head is not appropriated though communicated nor made over to the Members nor is the estate of the Husband past away or made over to his Wife The Endowment of the Wife is no formal cause nor ingredient of Marriage but a fruit or consequent thereof So our justification or our right to the Righteousness of Christ that is to his Rights and Priviledges accrues to us by our Marriage with Christ which is by Faith the formal cause thereof The Estate Wisdom and Righteousness is Christ's but the benefit of them and of all that is Christ's is ours as is the Wealth and Wisdom and Honour of the Husband to the Wife In a word Christ's Righteousness is that for which Faith is accounted to us for Righteousness Ergo the Personal righteousness of Christ himself is not accounted to us Secondly Because Personal moral virtues cannot be past over to others by act of Nature or Law as by Descent Donation Succession Cession Dereliction Degradation Deprivation or any other way or means Because they are inherent habits of the Mind and therefore inseparable from the Mind and if separable altogether inconveyable to the Mind of another by deed of gift Descent of Blood or any other conveyance whatsoever during life or after death But Jural Rights are of that nature as that they may be derived by act of Law not Nature from Parents to their Children from Predecessors to their Successors or Alienated from the Proprietary to any other Person not only to be reckoned but to be really his or theirs to whom the alienation reversion or derivation is made by any act or deed according unto Law to take place in life or after death Also some act of mine may be accounted for a right to my self as my labour for my wages my purchase for my Estate my Faith for my justification Thus Moral Righteousness is inseparable from the Person to which it doth belong and cannot be reckoned to another but Jural Rights are separable and may be accounted to another I may possibly be respected and saved for another's Virtue and Worth but his Virtue and Worth can no waies be made mine Virtue Learning Vice and Ignorance are habits and qualities which are a Man 's own without accounting but Riches and Honours we have as rights accounted unto us or else we cannot have or hold them My Health or Sickness of Body may be propagated to me and from me to another but not the Health or Sickness of my Soul Who can be healthy by another Man's health while he possesseth it Who can be sick by another Man's sickness while he possesseth it Who can be rich by another Man's riches while he enjoyeth them Who can be honourable by another Man's honour while he enjoyes it Who can be disgraced by another Man's disgrace while he suffereth it Who can be poor by another Man's poverty while he endures it Who can be learned by another Man's Learning while he hath it Who can be virtuous by another Man's virtues or vicious by another Man's vice These Virtues or Vices are really his who hath them not really mine whose they are not or how can these things in another be so much as reckoned or accounted to be mine I may be reckoned guilty of another Man's sin and so of his punishment by consenting or helping c. but not for his acting or suffering I cannot be reckoned virtuous by another Man's virtue or sinful by another Man's sin or miserable by another Man's misery If I have many virtues others may have as many virtues or more than I and I have no less than I have but if I have many rights to such or such things others can have no rights to the same things If they be taken away from me in part I have the less if in full I have none at all but others
excitatum à mortuis ac proptereà verum esse quae Dei nomine sive praecipiendo sive promittendo nobis attulit Interim verum est iis qui à vitiis purgati sunt Deum condonare vetera crimina idque propter Christum qui id nobis obtinuit Neque enim Deus tenebatur ea condonare Nisi autem Deus nobis condonasset peccata non daret nobis donum illud Summum quod in hac vitâ hominibus contingere potest Spiritum nimirum Sanctum Id enim paterni amoris quidem summi certum est Testimonium Huc tendere quae dicit Paulus hunc ejus esse sensum tum ex vi vocum tum ex serie sermonis apertum nos in Annotatis nostris facturos confidimus Interim oro eos qui dubitant legant Graecos Chrysostomum OEcumenicum Theophylactum aut Latinos etiam Ambrosium Hieronymum reperient eos id sensisse quod dico Quid verò mirum est si Deus pro justitiâ suâ approbat eam Justitiam quam ipse in nobis fecit quae propterea Justitia Dei dicitur quaeque legalem illam omnem ex viribus humanis profectam multis modis superat Non enim potest non amare quod suum est Nec cum Deus ita per se ad se conversos spectat eos spectat ut peccatores quomodo scilicet ea vox in Scripturis sumitur sed ut à peccatis purgatos liberatos Et inde oritur laeta illa pax conscientiae quia talibus Deus ut jam diximus propter Christum promisit priorum criminum indulgentiam Neque verò directè apud Paulum opponuntur accusare justificare sicut neque directè opposita sunt que sequuntur damnare eos pro eis precari Sed fit haec oppositio per consequentiam quandam Isti qui nos apud humana Tribunalia accusant homines sunt miseri cum Deus sit is qui nos Justos videat ut justos amet Damnamur ad poenas sed à quibus nempe à Mortalibus At Christus immortalis is est qui perpetuo causam nostram Deo Patri commendat Tribunal Christi est Tribunal Dei Ibi ex quibus rebus simus judicandi dixit Christus Matth. 25.34 35. Paulo omnibus qui adventum Christi amarunt reddetur corona Justitiae nempe quia praeclarum certamen certarunt cursum perfecerunt fidem servarunt 2 Tim. 4.7 Novatiana causa huic non pertinet neque enim dicimus post Baptismum lapsis omnibus praeclusam à Deo veniam aut reditum ad Ecclesiam Hinc autem gloria omnis Justitiae quae in Christianis reperitur ad Deum Christum redit Fides enim Dei Donum per Christum non ex operibus sed ex vocante Et hoc est Justitiae semen fructus autem omnis censetur in semine Quà m facilis autem hîc sit reconciliatio si absint tricae Scholasticae alienus à pace animus ostendit Bucerus in Psalmum 2. Mr. Thornd l. 2. p. 248. I must here presume that this sense of the imputation of Christ's merits and therefore this intent of his death is meerly imaginary And the supposition whereupon it proceeds to wit that one Mans doings or sufferings may be personally and immediately imputed to another Mans account is utterly unreasonable And therefore must and do say That as it is sufficient so it is true that the sufferings of Christ are imputed unto us in the nature of a meritorious cause moving God to grant Mankind those terms of Reconcilement which the Gospel importeth Mr. Faringd 2. Vol. S. 20 p. 811. As the Philosophers agree there was a Chief-good and Happiness which Man might attain to but could not agree what it was so it hath fallen out with Christians They all consent that there is mercy with God that we may be saved They make remission of sins an Article of their Creed But then they rest not here but to the covering of their sins require a garment of Righteousness of their own thred and spinning to the blotting out of their sins some bloud and some virtue of their own and to the purging them out some infused habit of inherent Righteousness And so by their interpretations and additions and Glosses they leave this Article in a cloud than which the day it self is not clearer As Astronomers when a new Star appeareth in their Hemisphere dispute and altercate till that Star go out and remove it self out of their sight So have we disputed and talked Justification and remission of sins almost out of sight For there is nothing more plain and even without rub or difficulty nothing more open to the eye and yet nothing at which the quickest apprehensions have been more dazled It hath been the fault of Christians when the Truth lay in their way Justification to pass it by or leap over it and to follow some fancies and imaginations of their own Nor was this Doctrine only blemished by those monsters of Men who sate down and consulted and do deliberately give sentence against the Truth but received some blot and stain from their hands who were the stoutest Champions for it Who though they saw the Truth and did acknowledg it yet let that fall from their Pews which posterity after took up to obscure this Doctrine and would not rest content with that which is as much as we can desire and more than we can deserve remission of sins Hence it was that we were taught in the Schools That Justification is a change from a state of unrighteousness to a state of Righteousness That as in every motion there is a leaving of one Term to acquire another so in Justification there is expulsion of sin and infusion of Grace Which is most true in the concrete but not in the abstract in the justified Person but not in Justification which is an act of God alone From hence these 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 those unsavoury and undigested conclusions of the Church of Rome that to justifie a Sinner is not to pronounce but to make him just That the Formal cause of Justification is Inherent sanctity that our Righteousness before God consisteth not only in Remission of sins that we may redeem our sins as well as Christ we from temporal as he from eternal pain And then this Petition must run thus Forgive us our Trespasses that is make us so just that we may need no forgiveness Forgive us the breach of the law because we have kept the Law forgive us our sins for our good works Forgive me my intemperance for my often fasting my incontinency for my zeal my oppression for my alms my murther for the Abby and Hospital which I built my fraud my malice my oppression for the many Sermons I have heard A conceit which I fear findeth more room and friendly entertainment in those hearts which are soon hot at the very mention of Popery and Merit In
a word they say and unsay sometimes bring in remission of sins and sometimes their own satisfaction and so set St. Paul and their Church at such a distance that neither St. Peter himself nor all the Angels and Saints she prayeth to will be able to reconcile them and make his Gratis and their Merits meet in one It is true every good act doth justifie a man so far as it is good and God so far esteemeth them holy and good and taketh notice of his graces in his Children he registreth the patience of Job the zeal of Phineas and the devotion of David not a cup of cold water not a mite flung into the treasury but shall have its reward But yet all the works of the Saints in the world cannot satisfie for the breach of the Law for let it once be granted what cannot be denied that we are all 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 guilty and culpable before God that all have sinned and are come short of the glory of God then all that noise the Church of Rome hath filled the world with concerning Merits and Satisfaction and Inherent righteousness will vanish as a mist before the Sun and Justification and Remission of sins will appear in its brightness in that form and shape in which Christ first left it to his Church Bring in Abraham and Isaac and all the Patriarchs and Prophets and Apostles and deck them with all those vertues which made them glorious but yet they sinned Bring in the noble Army of Martyrs who shed their blood for Christ but yet they sinned They were stoned they were sawn asunder they were slain with the sword but yet they sinned and he that sinneth is presently the servant of sin obnoxious to it for ever and cannot be redeemed by his own blood because he sinned but by the blood of him in whom there was no sin to be found Justificatio Impii this one form of speech of Justifying a sinner doth plainly exclude the Law and the Works of it and may serve as an Axe or Hammer to beat down all their carved work and those Anticks which are fastned to the building which may perhaps take a wandring or gadding fancy but will never enter the heart of a man of understanding We do not find that beauty in their artificial and forced inventions that we do in the simple and native truth Neither are those effects which are as irradiations and resultances from forgiveness of sin so visible in their Justification by faith and works as in the free remission which is by faith alone The urging of our Merits is of no force to make our peace with God They may indeed make us gracious in his eyes after remission but have as much power to remove our sins as our breath hath to remove a mountain or put out the fire of hell For every sin is as Seneca speaketh of that of Alexander in killing Callisthenes Crimen aeternum an Eternal crime which no vertue of our own can redeem Let me add my passions to my actions my Imprisonment to my Alms let me suffer for Christ let me die for Christ But yet I have sinned We may observe those Justitiaries how their complexion altereth how their colour goeth and cometh how they are not the same Men in their Controversies and Commentaries that they are in their Devotions and Meditations Nothing but Merit in their ruff and jollity and nothing but Mercy on their Death-Beds nothing but the Bloud of Martyrs then and nothing but Christ's now nothing but their own satisfaction all their lives and nothing but Christ's at their last gaspe Before Magis honorificum it was more honourable to bring in something of our own towards the forgiveness of our sins but none for the uncertainty of our own Righteousness Because there is no harbour here Christ's Righteousness is called in with a Tutissimum est as the best shelter And here they will abide till the storm be overpast Id. ib S. 24. p. 870 c. Imputed Righteousness Some stand much upon imputed Righteousness and it is true which they say if they understood themselves And upon Christ's Righteousness imputed to us which might be true also if they did not interpret what they say For this in a pleasing phrase they call To appear in our Elder Brother's Robes and apparel that as Jacob did we may steal away the Blessing Thus the Adulterer may say I am chast with Christ's Chastity and if he please every wicked Person may say That with Christ he is crucified dead and buried And that though he did nothing yet he did it though he did ill yet he did well because Christ did it This Righteousness if they have no other doth but ill become them because it had no Artificer but the Fancy to make it For that Christ's Righteousness is thus imputed to any we do not read no not so much as that it is imputed though in some sense the phrase may be admitted Jerm For what is done cannot be undone no not by Omnipotency it self for it implyeth a contradiction Deo qui omnia potest hoc impossibile God who can do all things cannot restore a lost Virginity He may forgive it blot it out bury it not impute it account of it as if it had never been but a sin it was We read indeed that Faith was imputed to Abraham for Righteousness Ro. 4.3 And the Apostle interpreteth himself out of the 32. Psal Blessed is the Man unto whom God imputeth Righteousness without work Gal. 3.6 2 Cor. 5.21 That is as followeth whose sins are forgiven to whom the Lord imputeth no sin And Abraham believed in God and it was imputed to him for Righteousness And we are made the Righteousness of God in him That is we are counted righteous for his sake And it is more than evident that it is one thing to say That Christ's Righteousness is imputed to us another that Faith is imputed for Righteousness or which is the very same our sins are not imputed to us Which two imputations of Faith for Righteousness and not-imputation of sin make up that which we call the Justification of a Sinner For therefore are our sins blotted out by the hand of God because we believe in Christ and Christ in God That place where we are told that Christ of God is made unto us Wisdom and Righteousness and Sanctification is not such a Pillar of Christ's imputed Righteousness in that sense which they take it as they fancy'd when they first set it up For the sense of the Apostle is plain and can be no more than this That Christ by the will of God was the only cause of our Righteousness and Justification and that for his sake God will justifie and absolve us from all our sins will reckon or account us holy and just and wise Not that he who loved the error of his life is wise or he that hath been unjust is righteous in that wherein he was unjust or
the Old Testament Alms is the Graecism thereof signifying the gift of kindness Mercy is the affection or cause and Alms is the effect or act of pity and love to miserable persons Math. 6.1 Take heed that ye do not your Alms before Men 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so the Syriack and Arabick read it And 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 came in probably by the Interpretation of the glosse because 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 was in the sense of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but a word less used and more known to the Hellenist Jews than to the Greeks and in the Translation of the Old Testament used commonly for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 according to the notion of the Hebrew word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the same sense with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Phrase 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 morally taken is to do kindness Vid. Ps 15.2 Ps 94.4 Ps 106.3 Pro 21.3 Is 30.17 Is 56.1 Is 58.2 Jer. 9.24 Jer. 22.3 Jer. 33.15 And Gnasoth chesed rendred to shew mercy Ps 8.50 Ps 109.16 SECT III. 3. Just Jurally quoad Jura i. e. a proprietary or owner Just Jurally that hath Right Title claim or Interest to any thing in possession or reversion As an heir to an Estate of inheritance a promissary to a Grant as Abraham lived to be the heir of the world Ro. 4.13 who called the Righteous Man from the East i. e. the Man that had the primitive or original right to the promised Land yet Abraham was legally and morally righteous before but not Jurally till this his acceptation of God's promise In this sense the Israelites are called righteous v. Ex. 12.43 45. Ex. 20.10 Ex. 29.33 Ex. 30.33 Lev. 22.10 13. Num. 1.51 Thy people shall be all righteous Ps 69.28 they shall inherit the Land for ever Let them be blotted out of the Book of the living and not be written among the Righteous i. e. Israelites the righteous heirs of the Land upon record for the names of Free-holders and owners were written in Books not such as were legally or morally righteous Ps 118.20 This is the gate which the Lord had made the Righteous shall enter into it i. e. into the Temple into which strangers had no right to enter but remained in the outward Court. Ps 125.3 The rod of the wicked shall not rest upon the lot of the Righteous i. e. The Stranger shall not rule over the Israelites the righteous heirs of the Land of Canaan The people shall be all righteous Js 60.21 they shall inherit the Land for ever i. e. They shall return from captivity and receive their ancient rights again Jure postliminii Is 26.2 Open ye the gates that the righteous Nation which keep the truth may enter in i. e. That the right owners might re-possess their due from which they had long been kept because during their exile among the Heathens they still kept the truth of God's worship Gen. 30.33 Ps 35.27 So shall my righteousness answer for me in time to come i. e. All the young spotted cattel I have right to for my wages Let them be glad that favour my righteousness i. e. my righteous cause my right to my Kingdom Better is a little with righteousness Prov. 16.8 than great Revenues without right Which justify the wicked for reward and take away the righteousness of the Righteous from him Is 5.23 Gal. 3.6 Rom. 4.5 Noah became heir of the righteousness which is by faith Abraham believed in God and it was accounted unto him for righteousness His faith is counted for righteousness Abraham received the sign of Circumcision A seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had being uncircumcised that he might be the Father of all them that believe Rom. 4.11 which could be no moral or legal righteousness but a jural right of inheritance and dignity Ro. 4.13 For the promise that he should be the heir of the world was not to Abraham or to his Seed through the Law but through the righteousness of faith Now promise and heir are matter of Right not of Holiness For if the inheritance be of the Law Gal. 3.18 it is no more of promise What is meant in one place by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a general word for Right the same is expressed in the other by the special word of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the best kind of Rights Also to have right by the Law or to have the inheritance by the Law is the same sense Other places use this word to the same purpose the upright shall have dominion over them Psal 49.14 We through the Spirit wait for the hope of righteousness by faith Henceforth is lay'd up for me a Crown of righteousness 2. Tim. 4.8 which the Lord the righteous judg shall give me at that day and not to me only but unto them also that love his appearing What shall we say then that the Gentiles which follow'd not after Righteousness have attained to Righteousness even the Righteousness which is of Faith But Israel which follow'd after the Law of Righteousness hath not attained to the Law of Righteousness Ro. 9.30 31. wherefore because they sought it not by Faith c. For they being ignorant of God's Righteousness and going about to establish their own Righteousness have not submitted themselves to the Righteousness of God Ro. 10.3 4. For Christ is the end of the Law for Righteousness to every one that believeth By the deeds of the Law there shall no flesh be justified But now the Righteousness of God without the Law is manifested even the Righteousness of God which is by Faith of Jesus Christ Ro. 3.20 21 22. unto all and upon all them that believe For if Righteousness come by the Law then Christ is dead in vain i. e. the Inheritance spoken of Gal. 3 18. If the Inheritance be of the Law c. For if they which are of the Law be heirs Faith is made voyd and the promise made of no effect Thy Throne O God is for ever and ever Hebr. 1.8 A Scepter of Righteousness is the Scepter of thy Kingdom If there had been a Law given which could have given life Gal. 3.21 Ps 9 4 Ps 17.1 verily Righteousness should have been by the Law Thou hast maintained my right and my cause thou satest in the Throne judging right Hear thou right O Lord and attend to my cause and to the justice of my cause In these places and such like I am of opinion that the Jural sense of the word Righteousness for Jus or Right is chiefly respected and yet the Legal or Moral senses are not excluded SECT IV. While I am thus deeply engaged in this great and considerable Business of Jural Righteousness which is the principal vein that runs through this whole Discourse of Justification to the Inheritance of God's Testament And as the clue that guides
through all the Labyrinth thereof I think it necessary besides all these proofs to add the best reasons I can to fortify this cause Right Reason 1. The matter whereunto a Man is justified is some Right which cannot be a Moral Righteousness for that is a virtue and is not deviseable to be convey'd as Rights are to any by gift or otherwise nor can Moralities descend to any by succession No Man was ever able to bequeath his Wisdom or Goodness to another from himself in his life time neither did any Son or Heir inherit his Father's Mental perfections as he may his corporal likeness or constitution or his Honour and Estate A Right is an incorporeal thing belonging to some Dignities or Revenues and Men attain to them several waies by Birth or Gift or labour This Right of Justification comes not by Birth nor yet by Work but by Gift or Grace Ro. 4.4 5. Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of Grace but of debt but to him that worketh not but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly his faith is counted for Righteousness i. e. For a Right because it hath reference to the three former words Reward Grace and Debt The labourer and believer agree in this that both have a Right or claim the labourer to his Wages the Believer to his Promise but they differ in this the labourer hath a Right of Debt to his Wages by the title of his work that earned them the Believer hath a Right of Grace to his Promise by the Title of his Faith Abraham had a Seal of the righteousness of his Faith Now a Seal cannot be of any Moral Righteousness but of a Jural Right or Interest to some Estate of Honour or Profit A Seal fixed upon a Cabinet or parcel of Goods or upon an Instrument is a sign of the Right which the owner hath that none but he can challenge any of those Goods contained or expressed in those vessels or Writings The Right sealed to Abraham is that he might be the Father of all Believers which is a Jural Right of Dignity and that he might be the heir of Canaan which is a Jural Right of propriety Ro. 4.13 For the promise that he should be the heir of the world was not to Abraham or to his Seed through the Law but through the Righteousness of Faith i. e. not by the Right or title of the Works of the Law but by the right and title of Faith for Righteousness hath reference to the two former words Promise and Heir which are Jural terms proper for matter of Right And a Promise is an act that worketh a Right and an heir is a person that hath a Right The Hebrew word Zedakah is Englished a Right 2 Sam. 19.28.29 What right have I therefore to cry any more unto the King saith Mephibosheth and that right must be concerning his Land of inheritance whereof he stood then disseized by the treachery and calumny of Ziba For the King said unto him in the next verse Why speakest thou any more of thy matters I have said Thou and Ziba divide the Land And Mephibosheth said Yea let him take all c. Nehemiah said to Sanballat and Tobiah Neh. 2.20 You have no portion no right nor memorial because they were strangers in Jerusalem Sanballat a Samaritan Tobiah an Ammonite and Geshem an Arabian Some strangers were made capable of Rights with the native Jews these Proselytes were called Gerei Zedeck Advenae Justitiae Strangers of Righteousness because of their conversion to the Jewish Religion So they had right to eat of the Pass-over Exod. 12.19.48 49. to the Feast of Expiation Lev. 16.29 to offer Sacrifice Num. 15.14 c. to use Holy water Num. 19.10 to Judicature Lev. 24.21 Ye shall have one manner of Law as well for the stranger as for one of your own Countrey Deut. 1.16 Num. 25.30 Lev. 19.33 Lev. 25.35 c. Num. 35 15. A Free holder in our Writs of Common Law is styled Homo probus legalis one that hath right to something So that Justice and Righteousness though they do signify Moral Justice Righteousness in some places yet in others they must signify Jural Rights and Titles Gal. 2.21 as If Righteousness come by the Law that is the Right to the inheritance as it is expressed Gal. 3.18 If the inheritance come by the Law it is no more of promise Both these sayings carry the same meaning that the Right of inheritance is by promise not by Law The reason of this reason is because every inheritance is a right though every right be not an inheritance And an inheritance is the best kind of right because it is an universal and perpetual right to an Estate ex asse ie to all Honours Priviledges and Profits thereof freely given by Testament for ever And the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 taken for Right is a Genus to the special word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is one of the best kind of Rights And again both these sayings as Premisses infer the same conclusion That a Man is not justified by the Law proved ab absurdo for if a Man be justified or if his Right of inheritance be by the Law then the Grace of God is frustrate Faith is frustrate and the death of Christ frustrate and the Promise frustrate Rom. 4.14 Tit. 3.7 Gal. 2.21 So that to a discerning ear To be justified by Faith and to be made an Heir of God and to have Faith imputed to us for Righteousness or Righteousnes imputed to us by Faith do sound one and the same thing Reason Effect 2. The Right or matter of Justification is the effect of God's promise which can be no moral Righteousness but a thing promised God promised a right of Alliance Issue and Inheritance to Abraham and therefore he by his Faith had a right Title and interest in this promise else it had been unjust and of no effect His Faith was counted for Righteousness Rom. 4.5 or his Faith was imputed to him for Righteousness Gal. 3.6 When Phinebas stood up and executed judgment This was counted to him for righteousness to all Generations for evermore That is this gave him right to the fee simple of the Priesthood to him and his heirs for ever For so the Charter runs Num. 23.10 11 12. Wherefore I give unto him my Covenant of Peace and he shall have it and his Seed after him even the Covenant of an Everlasting Priesthood because he was zealous for his God and made an attonement for the Children of Israel He had a right to the Priesthood before by his Birth but this was a corroboration of it to him for ever SECT V. Reason Accounting 3. All Rights consist in accounting which is their essence As that the use-fruit or propriety of such a thing is accounted or reckoned to such a person as belonging to him and no other Now no Moral Righteousness
concernments is much pleased with them that after a little pain and patience there may be the greater indulgence unto carnal things for which they quickly hope for expiation by carnal sufferings A great cheat in carnal Religion Thus the outward man is much pleased 1. With the History of the Cross of Christ 2. With the pictures of the Cross of Christ and sheds many a melting tear at the actings of this Tragedy 3. With Whippings Fasting Sackcloth Pilgrimages c. Col. 2.18.23 A voluntary humility a shew of wisdom in Will-worship and humility in neglecting of the body and not in any honour to the satisfying of the flesh 2. The Inward Cross is the power and virtue of Christ's death the spirit of Mortification and Self-denial the Spirit the Inward Man is much delighted with these exercises of the Spirit the Mystery of Christ's Cross the Memory and Love of Christ crucified the Joy and patience of suffering for Christ 2. The Effect of the Cross Crucifixion Effect of Cross Crucifixion Procured by Outward Cross which is 1. Procured and merited for us by the outward Cross and Passion Sacrifice and Oblation of Christ for us By these is Salvation from the victory of Sin Death and Hell all conquered by Christ Propitiation and Attonement made Security from the barr of Justice that Scopulus Reorum and Curse of Law Solus calcavit Torcular 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Christ trod the Wine press of God's wrath alone no Angel nor Man to help him He left nothing undone that he might be the Author and Finisher of our Salvation and was made perfect through sufferings 2. Wrought and effected to us and in us by the Inward Cross and Passion of Christ sacrificed and offered in us This is the spirit and power of his death the virtue of his Resurrection and the fellowship of his sufferings Philosophy 1. Philosophy did combate much with sin Vertue kills Vice Reason destroys Passion Brave Seneca cries out like a Christian O when shall I see the day when all my Passions shall be subdued and that I shall say Vici I have overcome them Christianity 2. Christianity much more more than Conquerors I thank God through Jesus Christ Thanks be to God which hath given us Victory through Jesus Christ our Lord. Only be valiant and of a good courage Flie from sin as from a serpent resist the Devil and he will flie from you stand still and see the salvation of God This power of the Cross will do our work for us and in us this death destroys death this is to conquer by suffering Depressu Resurgo the more kept down the more we rise A Divine virtue in Christ's sufferings a great conquest made by the Son of God in his own person for us in our persons for our selves under him and by him From hence we have power to conquer Sin Law Satan Death I can do all things through Christ that strengthneth me Hence we overcome the world are dead unto it using the world as if we used it not this is our victory even our Faith this is Self-denial Mortification Crucifixion with Christ Regeneration a New Creature Thus Christ hath redeemed us from all iniquity and purified to himself a people zealous of Good works perfecting holiness in the fear of the Lord that they might obtain an inheritance among them that are sanctified by faith which is in Christ Jesus It is not therefore good to glory in Carnal things such as Eloquence Wit Beauty Health Honour Riches c. It is not good to glory in Carnal Religion such as are 1. Ceremonies Judaical or Heathenish 2. Ordinances Opus operatum Prayers Fastings Hearings c. It is good to glory in Spiritual things such as are Faith Love Hope Patience Joy Peace Rejoyce in the Lord evermore and again I say rejoyce But this is counted no Joy but Melancholy or Religious Madness in Sequestrations from worldly Policies and Glories and Conversation wit God and our own Souls The gaieties of this world affect the senses and they are counted little better than stark Fools that prefer undiscerned contentations of the spirit before them When Paulinus a Young Noble Man and Senatour of Rome renounced the World and became a Christian the whole City wondred at it and all the Wits jear'd at his retirement from the splendour of the Court What a Gallant so young ex illâ formâ ex illâ prosapiâ illâ indole so beautiful of such a family and of such ingenuity and leave all his companions and pleasures Such men are counted mad men and weary of their lives scorning the delights of Nature Paula and Melania two Noble Ladies left their honours and estates for the Cross This was presently Table-talk for all Rome St. Paul so noble so learned so honour'd as he was counted all but Loss and Dung to gain Christ was as a man crucified and dead unto the world the world had no favour for him nor he for the world so is a Christian not of this world dead to it looks to higher things As the Jews had no dealing with the Samaritans so Christians have not their conversation with the world As a man Proscribed is pursued from place to place hiding his head so is a Christian As a Woman divorced from the Bed and Board of her Husband lives still in the family walks up and down like a shadow hath food and clothing only upon courtesie but no countenance from her Husband nor respect from her children nor command over her servants So are those that take up the Cross of Christ and follow him Cast therefore your eye once more upon this great Mediator in all his Transactions Here 's a Conception Birth Life Cross Death Here 's a Resurrection Ascention Entrance and Oblation in the Holy Place Session and Intercession And what a coming to Judgment will that be at the Last Day How is all this apprehended Why was all this Action and Passion Shame and Glory Was not a Deity offended and thereby appeased How Affected what Joy what Sorrow what Hope what Faith what Obedience what Thankfulness what Love what Oblation of all that we are and have and all nothing to what is due from us but is all accepted of God More would a Soul inflamed with divine love do or suffer She cannot do what she would but she will do what she can and throw her self into the arms of her dear Lord praying him to accept her as she is and make her such as he would have her for to be for his own great Mercies sake I. Christ the true Sacrifi◠and Priest Christ therefore is the Absolute and true Sacrificer and Sacrifice in se per se in himself and by himself 1. Because he only perfectly pleased God This is my Well-beloved Son in whom I am well pleased He only was without sin he only fulfilled the Will of his Father 2. Because he only is the cause of all our
Sacrifices and Services that are acceptable unto God He is made unto us Wisdom Righteousness Sanctification and Redemption 3. Because he qualifies all our Sacrifices and Services through his Perfection all our Imperfections are hid and covered 4. Because he only made an Attonement for the sins of the Whole World Christians true Sacrificers and Priests II. Christians are True Sacrificers and Sacrifices in their Bodies and Souls offered as living Sacrifices which is their reasonable service not of themselves nor by themselves but in Christ and by Christ 1. Because Christ is the Head of the Church 2. Because Christians are the Body All are offered by Christ the Priest and Christians Priests all suffering together Christ for us and we under him for our selves to fill up that which is behind of the sufferings of Christ for his Bodie 's sake which is the Church Decrees III. We are told of a Decree and of Decrees 1. Of Absolute Election from all Eternity Christ's Doing and Suffering 2. Of Christ's doing and suffering all that is to be done or suffered for our sins to pacifie God's Wrath and Merit Happiness Our Doing and Suffering 3. Of our doing nothing and suffering nothing what think we Is Faith nothing are Hope and Love and Good Works and Tribulations all nothing and just nothing True we and all our Faith and Love and Good Works and Afflictions are all nothing and worse than nothing in themselves and out of Christ considered but in Christ and for his sake Christ hath made them something yea and all acceptable to God too and rewardable too by God for his sake Reasons 1. Because they are Spiritual Acts and Spiritual Acts are pleasing to the Father of Spirits as 1. Killing of Lusts and corrupt Affections 2. Consuming them 3. Offering up holy desires to God 2. Because they keep the Covenant of Faith with God 3. Because they flow from an habit of Holiness to justifie true Faith in God 4. Because they do good to Men. 5. Because they obtain Reconciliation with God I do not say they procure or purchase or merit it at God's hands but that they obtain or receive it at the hands of God for the Worthiness of Christ 6. Because they are the weightier Duties of the Law Tithes of Mint and Cummin Sacrifices Offerings and other Rites were the weighty duties of the Law of Moses But Justice and Judgment and Mercy are the far weightier services of the two these must and ought to be done but not to leave the rest undone So Prayer Alms Fasting Hearing Preaching Praising Communicating Baptizing c. are the weighty duties of the Law of Christ but Mortification Crucifying Self-denying Regeneration New Creation c. are the far weightier services of the two these must and ought to be done and not to leave the other undone And these must first and last be done leave all the rest undone till this be done Leave thy gift at the Altar and go and first be reconciled to thy Brother and then come again and offer what thou hast to offer Wash your hands ye Sinners and purifie your hearts ye Double-minded and then come and offer a spiritual offering Offer to God Thanksgiving and pay thy vows unto the Most High and this is better than a Bullock that hath horns and hoofs Obedience is better than Sacrifice and to hearken than the Fat of Lambs Go learn what this meaneth I will have mercy and not sacrifice 1. So then there is a God that is offended Corollaries 2. So then there must be a coming before this God to answer for those offences 3. Outward Sacrifices of Bulls and Goats of old and other services of Circumcision Sabbaths c. when brought before him could not do the deed 4. Outward Sacrifices among us Christians as of Prayer Sacraments c. when brought before him cannot do the deed 5. But Christ's Sacrifice of himself once offered to God through his Eternal Spirit in Heaven hath done the deed by his merit 6. And Christians Sacrifices of themselves often offered to God through Christ's Spirit in Earth do the deed by our duty I. See then what true Religion and the power of Godliness is Pure Religion and undefiled before God is this for a man to visit the fatherless and widow in their distress and to keep himself unspotted from the world The rest are but the forms and outsides of Religion 1. As among the Jews Sacrifices and Oblations Tithes Fasts Feasts Sabbaths Circumcision Passover Washings c. 2. As among Christians Prayers Praises Preaching Sacraments Fasts Feasts Offerings Penances Burnings Prostrations c. The Substance is Spiritual Prayer Communicating Fasting Feasting Justice Equity Mercy Humility c. II. The Christian Law requires more than any Positive Law Justice is the most that any Positive Law besides requires but Mercy to our very Enemies and purity of heart and poorness of Spirit c. no Law but this doth urge Called the Law of Love and Grace a Law above all other Laws III. 'T is good but Law living according to the Law of bare Nature as 1. To defend ones self 2. To nourish young 3. To do no wrong Natural Justice and Love IV. 'T is good but Law living according to the Positive Law of Nations as 1. Suum cuique tribuere to give every one his own 2. Neminem laedere to hurt no body 3. Honestè vivere to live honestly Positive Law These are good steps to farther Justice of Equity Grace and Mercy And yet but a small matter V. 'T is good and high living according to the Law of Christ in the Gospel as 1. To love our Enemies 2. To offer Life and all for Truth 3. To do Equity and Mercy c. This is that that God requires of all The Christian Law This is Perfection Covet after the best Gifts But behold I shew unto you a more excellent way This is above all Law Super-Justice VI. A Rebuke 1. To all Rigor and Extremity of Law 2. To all carelesness of others sufferings and wrongs Who cares what becomes of all Miserable persons Let them starve or hang or damn they care not A merciless Spirit worse than an unjust spirit No bowels nor yernings nor pity that 's a hard case VII A Rebuke to all formal Religion as 1. In outward Ceremonies 2. In outward acts of Justice Honesty and Love Opus operatum trusting in the Work done 3. In sinful compliances and worldly correspondencies for friends gain honour and favour fair shews complements no real honesty or love Worldly policy VIII Rebuke of Pride as 1. For Honour and Greatness 2. For Riches and Estate 3. For Power and Prowess 4. For Beauty 5. For Learning and Wisdom 6. For Wit and Cunning. Worldly Pride We are all fellow creatures we are all partakers of the same Grace without merit or desert we have nothing but what we have received there is no respect of persons with God IX Many a habit