and say with him 1 Tim. 1.13 I have been thus and thus vile but I obtained mercy and the grace of God was exceeding abundant c. Now to the King immortal c. v. 17. Secondly remember that Luk. 7.41 42. there was a certain Creditor that had two Debtors the one ought him five hundred pence the other fifty and when they had nothing to pay hee frankly forgave them all tell mee which of them will love him most So hath the Lord truely freely and frankly forgiven thee and that much more than many others Oh love the Lord so much the more count it a shame to bee sparing or nigardly in thy love or the expressions of it in thy duty and obedience towards him as vers 47. Her sins which are many are forgiven her for shee loved much Where for is taken not for a Cause of forgiveness but for a sign as thus surely such a Bankrupt hath a great debt forgiven him for see how loving and serviceable hee is to his Creditor 3 Freely you have received freely give Matth. 10.8 and freely forgive Redemption by Christ sufficient THE THIRD SERMON ON Rom. 3.24 25. Justified through the Redemption that is in Jesus Christ HAving spoken before of the Efficient Cause of the justification of a Sinner as also of the inward impulsive Cause that is the free grace of God Come we now to the meritorious cause of Justification through the redemption that is in Jesus Christ which redemption hath the nature of the Meritorious or impetrating cause or Procatarctical Cause of a sinners justification 1 Because it was the means which Gods justice did require before grace could actually justify 2 It hath the nature of the formal cause so far forth as it is accepted for us that it being imputed and applyed to us God pronounces the sentence of our absolution Now to open the words first inquire Quest 1 What is meant by Redemption here Answ 1 Redemption is taken in Scripture two waies first improperly and generally and so it signifies any deliverance from evil or danger or enemies as it is used Exod. 15.13 Thou in thy mercy hast lead forth thy people whom thou hast redeemed The deliverance out of Egypt is called a Redemption There were of old three waies of redemption first by Manumission when a King doth let his vassal voluntarily go out free thus we could not be redeemed for the devil never meant to let us go free and especially it could not stand with Gods blessed nature Holiness Justice Truth Hatred of sin thus to set us at liberty Secondly by Permutation thus we could not be redeemed for recompence could not be made to God by exchange of any creature for that infinite wrong done to him by mans sin Matth. 16.26 Thirdly By violent oblation or conquest as Abraham redeemed Lot by rescuing him but mankind might not bee redeemed by this alone for though Christ might justly spoil Satan of his prey which hee by subtile wiles methods and falshoods had gotten yet mankind being guilty of high treason against God and therefore locked up under his wrath and curse no power was strong enough to redeem us out of his hands but these are all improper waies of redemption and too low to reach the thraldome mankind was faln into 2 Properly in a more speciall way of Redemption by giving a price or ransome for a poor Captive or Slave this is plainly signified by the word used in the Text which hints redemption by way of Ransome there is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in it 1 Tim. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2.6 Christ gave his life a Ransome for all The ordinary word used for redemption is the buying of any thing again by paying a Price Object Some Hereticks object Sin and Satan to whom sinners are Captive receive no price for Ransome Sol. Wee are primarily Gods Captives who is the Judge against whom wee have sinned to whose Wrath Curse judgement and vengeance wee are in bondage the ransome therefore is paid to God as the Judge Satan is but the Goaler sin the bonds and chains the World and Death as the Prison and Torments Wee are indeed when the ransome is paid to the justice of God set at liberty from those other in a way of power and lawful conquest So Christ is said to lead Captivity Captive Eph. 4.8 that is all those enemies that had lead us Captive but the price is paid to God himself to whom wee do therefore pray for the forgiveness of our sins and that in regard of the ransome paid by Jesus Christ Heb. 2.14 Luke 11.21 Christ may bee in some sort called the strong man armed that is stronger than Satan and spoils him of his goods c. Quest 2 What is meant by the Redemption that is in Christ Jesus Answ Christ is prefixt with three several Prepositions in the Scripture phrase 1 For Christ Phil. 1.29 To you it is given for Christ not only to beleeve but also to suffer 2 In Christ Eph. 1.3 Who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in Christ 3 Through Christ Rom. 7.24 Blessed bee God who hath given us victory through Christ The reason of them is 1 Wee have redemption in Christ because in Christ as a common store-house every blessing is first laid up and then imparted to his members As our death and condemnation was in the first Adam before it was applyed or actually received by us 2 Wee have redemption through Christ because Christ doth by his obedience purchase it which in due time is communited to us as from the first Adams desert came condemnation 3 For Christ seems to bee used in regard Christ is as well the Mediatour of application as impetration obtaining grace for us and working grace in us Hence Faith and Patience are said to bee wrought in the Elect. The words thus opened afford two points 1 That the justification of every sinner is through the redemption and satisfaction wrought by Christ 2 That there is a singular and plentiful redemption wrought by Christ sufficient to make satisfaction to God for the vilest sinners Of which in the first place Doct. 1 That there is a singular and plentiful redemption Redemption by Christ sufficient for the vilest sinners wrought by Christ sufficient to make satisfaction to God for the vilest Sinners The Text is emphatical it is That redemption that is in Jesus Christ such as was never heard of before nor matched in the worlds voluminous Histories or Records T is described Matth. 20.28 Christ came to give his life a Ransome for many that must needs bee a plentiful redemption that was wrought by the death of the Son of God So 1 Tim. 2.6 Hee gave his life a ransome for all 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies a ransom paid for Captives and Christ himself must needs bee a great Price and for the sufficiency of it 1 It is spiritual of the soul as well as body Psal 49.15 God will redeem my
1 Joh. 2.1 the Father is in this case the Judge the Son the Advocate The Creation which is especially ascribed to the Father is wronged by sin Secondly The Father is the Fountain of Justification in opposition to the Creature for justification as it is in man is meerly passive and therefore doth pre-suppose the action of another justifying us and of whom but of God as Rom. 3.30 God is one who shall justifie c. And again Gal. 3.8 God would justifie c. and that of Rom. 8.30 Those whom he called he justified c. Hee that justifieth is the same with him that calleth and predestinates and that is God Quest What are we to understand by the justification of a Sinner in the sight of God Answ The meaning of Justification God is said to justifie a Sinner not because he doth infuse righteousnesse or makes him fit to doe such things as are just which is the error of the Papists placing justification first in the infusing the habits and then in the Acts of Grace or good works flowing from those habits wherewithall they intermingle a kind of remission of sin But God is said therefore to justifie because by his judicial proceedings or sentence he absolves and acquits Sinners from the guilt of sin with the punishment thereof and accepts them as just persons unto life eternal This might be many ways proved but for brevity sake rest in this That justification in the Scripture is wont to be opposed to accusation and condemnation as Prov. 17.15 Rom. 8.33 Quest But to what purpose serves Christ then in the Popish Justification Ans Hee hath merited that grace for sinners that they might merit and justifie themselves but herein they make Christ the Causa sine qua non as Logicians speak that is such as hath no real influence on the effect yea they ascribe more to the good works of sinners than they doe to the merits of Christ for Christs merits by their Assertion doe but make us justifiable which is a woeful delusion and at the best implicite blasphemy Quest But doth it belong to God only to justifie Answ 1. How can it be otherwise since it belongs to none to justifie but to him to whom it belongs to judge now the Lord is the supreme Judge all power of judging in Spiritual regards being taken from the creature Rom. 14.4 Who art thou that judgest another mans servant to his own Master hee stands or falls And vers 10. Why dost thou judge thy brother we shall all stand before the Judgement Seat of Christ. Mortal man must not be an everlasting Judge yea the Apostle goes further 1 Cor. 4.3 and saies he passes little to bee judged of them or by mans judgement yea saies he I judge not my self i. e. no other man had power to judge him nor himself to judge himself who then hath power And vers 4. to shew who was the Judge to pardon or condemn he saies Hee that judgeth me is the Lord. 2 It appears from the nature of justification in that the word justification is taken from Courts of Justice and juridical proceedings in Scripture use and signifies the sentence of absolution and is opposed to condemnation Prov. 17.15 To justifie the wicked c. Psal 143.3 Enter not into judgement c. and in the text it signifies remission of sins and imputation of righteousnesse so that none but God can justifie because none but God can forgive Mark 2.7 and God takes it to himself Isa 43.25 I have put away thy transgressions c. Rom. 4.6 God imputeth righteousnesse without works God must doe it or it will never be done Besides in justification there is the Will of God not to punish or not to impute Psal 32.1 2. and a discharge from the Curse and Wrath of God Rom. 8.1 3 4. 3 It appears by the Concomitants and fruits of justification which God only can bestow as blessednesse Psal 32.1 communion with God peace of conscience joy in the Holy Ghost Rom. 5.1.3 and freedome of accesse to the Throne of Grace but who keeps the key of Gods Presence-chamber but himself Who can admit us to communion with God but himself Spiritual blessings and priviledges are farre out of the reach of any Creature and have no Steward but Gods own Spirit from whence this joy is called 1 Thes 1.6 The joy of the Holy Ghost Vse 1. Let this serve for confutation of such as either divide justification between God and man or else utterly exclude God from being the efficient cause of which sort are the Papists who fancy a double justification First in infusing habits of grace whereby they are prepared to justifie themselves the Lord of his grace purging away their sins Of this they grant God to be in part the efficient cause joyning mans free will concurring with him as a burthen too heavie for God alone to bear which is in truth that which Protestants call Regeneration Secondly in improving their gracious habits or qualities infused whereby they are every day more and more righteous and in this they place their merits for eternal life And in this justification which is in truth that which the Protestants call Sanctification they deny God to be the efficient cause But the Scripture makes but one Justification whereof one God is the Author Rom. 3.30 Seeing it is one God that shall justifie c. i. e. All the faithful are justified alike And this admits not of divers degrees but is all at once though the manifestation sense and assurance of it may be by divers degrees Vse 2. This may serve for unspeakable terror to all that have lived in enmity and rebellion against God and still goe on in their grievous provocations Whom doe they provoke to anger Is it not the Lord who alone doth and can justifie a sinner in his sight Jam. 4.12 There is one Law-giver that hath power to save and to destroy there is none else that hath either power or authority to save a poor Sinner from Death or Hell God saith Exod. 23.7 I will not justifie the wicked i. e. that still goe on in their wickednesse and none can doe it besides him Many vile wretches will either deny or justifie themselves in their wickednesse as it is said of the Pharisees Self justifiers in a sad estate Luke 16.15 10.29 and with the Harlot in the Proverbs can carry it out with their lyes and brazen faces and purse and friends in earthly Courts and whatsoever their cause is will finde some like themselves to acquit them but these are but inferiour Courts the Cause must bee tried again in an higher Court before the supream Judge from whom there can be no escape whose sentence no creature can avoyd or abide Hee knows all hearts and mens privie pranks who will justly condemn what the world hath unjustly commended and force them to say with Job 9.20 If I justifie my self mine own mouth shall condemn me yea
Court because his sentence must stand Thus would David do Psal 85.8 I will hear what God the Lord will speak c. Care not what Sense and Feeling say but attend diligently what God shall say for if hee speak peace Hee will certainly make it good Appeal from any other that intrudes as Paul did to Caesar and as David doth Psal 43.1 Judge mee O Lord and plead my cause c. so Psal 35.23 24. Stir up thy self and awake to my judgement even to my cause my God and my Lord and listen to his sentence Quest How shall I know whether God doth justify me or not Answ 1 Consider what the Word saith if that acquit thee thou art sure How we may know whether God justifieth us but if that condemn thee thine estate is dreadful for Rom. 1.17 therein is Gods righteousness revealed Joh. 12.48 The Word that I have spoken to you that shall judge you There mayest thou read the last doom That 's one of the books Rev. 20.12 shall be opened 2 See whether thou dost condemn thy self and judge thy self unfeignedly 1 Cor. 11.31 If wee judge our selves wee shall not bee judged of the Lord. Quest How should I make my appeal to the Lord Ans In secret and humble Prayer as Job said ch 9.15 I will make my Supplication to my Judge yea though the word should cast thee lying in impenitency yet it shall acquit and absolve thee if thou meet the Lord in a treaty of peace with suitable importunity and constancy as the poor widdow did Luk. 18.7 shall not God avenge his own Elect that cry day and night before him c. I tell you that he will avenge them speedily Justification is of free Grace THE SECOND SERMON ON Rom. 3.24 25. Being justified freely by his Grace HAving spoken of the efficient cause of a sinners Justification come we now to the inward impulsive Cause which Logicians call the Proegumenical Cause which is the grace of God and for the forme or manner freely Let us open the words Quest 1 What is it to be justified freely Answ 1 The Word translated freely in Scripture signification is opposed to the hoped for and intended end and signifies in vain or to no purpose Gal. 2. ult If righteousness is by the law then Christ is dead in vain there the same word is used 2 It is opposed to an unjust cause and so it signifies without a cause Joh. 15.25 they hated me without a Cause 3 It is opposed to the payment of a Sum of money or a full price as Laban said unto Jacob Gen. 29.15 Because thou art my brother shouldest thou therefore serve mee for nought tell mee what thy wages shall be 4 It is opposed to desert either good or evil So 1 Sam. 19.5 Jonathan said to Saul wherefore wilt thou sin against innocent bloud to slay David without a Cause or without desert The word is here taken in the last acceptation for the meaning is That wee are justified without any merit on our part So that the word freely is added by way of explication of grace and justification by it When therefore it is said wee are justified freely understand 1 That there was no desert of justification in us Psal 49.8 Isai 43.25 2 That wee deserved the contrary as being enemies Rom. 6.23 3 That we could not desire it Isa 65.1 4 That wee could do nothing to procure it Job 25.4 5 That wee resist it as the Jews did the righteousness of God Rom. 10.3 4. Thus to the first Question the second follows Quest 2. What is meant by Gods grace by which wee are justified Answ Gods Grace is taken two waies in Scripture 1 actively for the favour and mercy of God Or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 grati 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 osum esse misereri Eph. 2.8 By grace yee are saved not of your selves and indeed the Hebrew word for Grace comes of a Root that signifieth to shew mercy or bee merciful And 2 Passively so it signifies the gift by grace as Rom. 5.15 where is mention of the grace of God and the gift by Grace that is inherent gifts and graces that the Lord bestoweth upon us as Eph. 4.7 To every one is given grace c. 1 Pet. 4.10 as every one hath received the gift Now that grace is here meant in the former sense and not in the latter as the Papists would have it for the habits of grace infused into Us It may appear 1 Because otherwise there should be some contradiction in the Text to say that we are justified freely and yet to be justified by inherent grace 2 In the next foregoing verse it is said that all have sinned how then is justification possible by inherent grace where there is none so that by grace here is meant the favour of God Quest 3. How can we be said to bee freely justified when the precious blood of Christ is paid to redeem us Answ 1 It is altogether free on mans behalf because no price for our justification is exacted at our hands but on Christs part it was not free because hee paid a full price 1 Pet. 1.18 2 It was free on Gods part 1 Because nothing but his free grace could move him to ordain such a propitiation for sinners ver 25. 2 Nor to make revelation of it to sinners for there are multitudes in the world to whom this Redemption never was revealed but are suffered of God to dye in their sins and to walk in their own waies 3 Nor to impute it to particular persons and infuse Faith for though Christ paid the ransome yet it is free grace that it is imputed to Us And that without our help he works faith in Us to apprehend the merits of Christ Thus it appears by the Explication That all the world being guilty before God though Christ paid a great price to the Father by way of satisfaction to his Justice in redeeming the Elect Yet in respect of Us it is altogether free and undeserved and that his meer free grace moved him to send his Son to take our nature upon him and to lay down his life to redeem Us. From which Explication wee gather this Doctrin Doct. 2 That the Justification of a sinner before God Justification is of free grace is to bee ascribed meerly to the free grace of God Which the Apostle hints twice in the Text telling us wee are justified freely without deserts and by Gods grace and favour to us likewise which truth wee shall further see in the several Acts of God about it revealed in the Scripture as 1 In the Decree of it in the Council of Gods election which I conceive is meant in ver 25. whom God fore-appointed There is the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or eternal purpose of God which was of his meer grace Gal. 3.8 Justification of the heathen through faith is attributed to the love of God 2 In the
it may be cleared from the Spiritual businesse it ever puts the soul upon it is active like the vestuous woman which puts her hand to every â—â—rk â—rov 31. â—4 17. 2 Thess 1.11 Hence it is that the 〈…〉 by his faith Heb â— â— believers doe all i. e saith 〈…〉 the faithful of old were inabled to do so great works old were inabled to do so great works Heb. 11.33 Subdued kingdoms wrought righteousnesse c. but it is most especially busie in the use of Ordinances as the Word Prayer Seals though it will not bee 〈◊〉 from 〈◊〉 callings it works by love and is our victory over the 〈◊〉 1 Joâ— 5.4 So that a true faith is imploying it self on all hands for a beleevers good Now alas when 〈◊〉 faith is but a dead drugge in us or is but an underling in the heart and is at the command of every lust profit or pleasure truly it is not lively much lesse shall you live eternally by it 4 Clear up the way and fruits of forgivenesse of sins the way of bringing it home unto the soul is the Word Acts 26.18 the Word was preached to open mens eyes If ever wee come to the right knowledge of the pardon of our sins it must be by the Word preached working these particulars 1. Illumination discovering effectual your sin and misery to us with a through sense and feeling of it 2 The conversion of the soul and turning of it from darknesse to light Now when the league with Hell is disaâ—ulled then wee come to receive forgivenesse of sin Besides 〈◊〉 the fruit of forgivenesse there bee many 〈…〉 of this sappy root let mee name some First the 〈…〉 heart to love Christ with fervency Luke 7.47 〈…〉 were many were forgiven her for she loved much her love was the effect not the cause of her pardon So Psal 116.1 3 4 c. Quest What kind of love is this to God Ans Such a love as inlargeth the heart in duties to God as it did that poor woman and David and Peter Hence is in them a love to the Word and Ordinances and the Children of God it is not possible for a man to have great debts forgiven him and that out of pitty and bounty when hee hath nothing to pay but that his love should bee kindled and his heart in a light fire in zeal for God 2 A forgiving disposition in case of personal wrongs Ephes 4.32 Bee yee kind one to another tender-hearted forgiving one another even as God for Christs sake hath forgiven us and this note is given by our blessed Saviour with great earnestnesse and asseveration affirmatively and negatively If yee forgive men their trespasses then your heavenly Father will forgive you Matth. 6.12.14 15. and if yee from the heart forgive not every one his brother their trespasses neither will your heavenly Father forgive you Hee speaks indefinitely every one not excepting any it is a sad sentence for a malicious heart But a merciful heart that can forgive private wrongs and strive against motions of malice and revenge and be humbled for them and that from the heart how great soever the injuries are it is a sure fruit of Gods pardoning him and his freedom from guile and reigning Hypocrisie Psal 32.1 2. 1 Joh. 3.19 6 Maintain and improve the forgivenesse of sin cleared up unto thee and this will be by daily and diligent observation of our wayes by often reckonings with God and getting the Book still crossed by suing out a pardon of course and therefore Christ teacheth us to pray daily Forgive us our debts This was Davids practice as appears by Psal 119.58 59. and other places and this must bee joyned with a resolution and care to shun future sins and failings and hereby wee shall know we are of the truth i. e. sincere and shall assure our hearts before him 1 Joh. 3.19 Now this improvement is First by holy humble and thankful abasement of our selves before God continually Hos 3.5 Ezek. 16. ult so Ezek. 36.29 I will save you from all your uncleannesses then shall yee remember your own evil wayes c. Beware of pride covetousnesse carnal rejoycing shaking off sorrow for sin it is a bad symptom when a man doth so 2 Bee careful to improve your interest in the favour of God for others not only near relations but even for strangers especially for the publick as Noah Daniel Job Moses Samuel c. they were still standing in the gap 3 Bee ready to comfort other with the same comfort wherewith God hath comforted us 2 Cor. 1.4 4 Know and bear in mind your ingagement to the Lord. The Princes pardon is the condemned Malefactors life as Mephibosheth said 2 Sam. 19.28 All my fathers house were dead men before thee Pardon of sinne is the eternal life of the sinner and hee is passed from Death to Life by it Yea as the offending God by Sin is an infinite evil so the forgivenesse of the offence is an infinite good and wee may say What shall wee render to the Lord for all his benefits towards us Surely as Psalm 116.8 9. Hee hath delivered our souls from death our eyes from tears and our feet from falling that we should walk before the Lord in the land of the living Of the Righteousnesse of Christ THE NINETEENTH SERMON ON Romans 3.21 But now the righteousness of Christ c. IN the handling of the point of Justification I have spoken of the several causes thereof and the end thereof in regard of men viz. Remission of sins and thereupon immediately followes the accounting of the beleeving Sinner righteous unto Salvation that is by the imputation of the righteousnesse of Jesus Christ unto the Sinner and that being described in the context and same portion of Scripture I shall proceed unto it now where the handling of it may come in at the due place for our better understanding thereof In the two verses 19 20. the Apostle shewed before Negatively that Justification is not by the works of the Law now he shewes Affirmatively how we are justified and that is expressed 1 By the matter of it The righteousnesse of God amplified by way of opposition to the Law without the Law i. e. without the works of the Law any way Co-working or meriting our justification 2 This is set forth by the Adjunct of the approbation and testimony of the Law and the Prophets 3 By the instrument that is faith of Jesus Christ understand it not actively for the faith whereby Christ beleeved but passively the faith whereby Christ is beleeved on 4 The subject beleevers and those universally and emphatically set down unto all and upon all that beleeve Quest What is meant by the righteousnesse of God Ans It is not to be understood of that whereby God himself is righteous as Osiander said for that is essential to God and cannot be communicated to the Creature but this righteousnesse is elsewhere called the righteousnesse of Christ
that imputeth If any man doth perfectly perform those things that the Law commandeth the reward of righteousness is imputed to him according to debt for this hath the foundation in himself and his perfect performance but if a man works not but having transgressed the Law beleeveth to him the reward of righteousness is accounted according to grace for it hath a foundation out of himself in anothers performance viz. in Christ Which the Apostle proves vers 5. To him that works not c. If the imputation should bee made according to the foundation that is in himself sin should bee imputed to condemnation for hee is ungodly but now faith is accounted to the ungodly for righteousness therefore this must bee founded on the grace of him that imputes The former kind of imputation is onely by way of supposition and no man was ever justified by it in the sight of God but the latter is the common way whereby Abraham and all beleevers are justified in Gods sight Object It seems to bee an unrighteous act and implies falsehood to impute righteousness to a sinner as it is to impute sin to a righeeous person Prov. 17.15 To justify the wicked and condemn the righteous are both an abomination to the Lord and the contrary is reputed an act of Gods justice 1 King 8.32 Exod. 34.7 Answ It is against Law and justice to justify the wicked without cause when there is no satisfaction made by the offender himself or by any other on his behalf suitable to the will of the persons offended and persons concerned do consent but now when God justifies and imputes righteousness to the ungodly having received a full and sufficient satisfaction by his sons obedience this is no unjustice at all but every way most just the Lord Jesus and the father being content and consenting to it 2 There is no falshood in this imputation of righteousness because God can call things that are not as though they were Rom. 4.17 and hee doth truely make those righteous whom hee justifies by his imputed righteousness Rom. 8.4 that the righteousness of God might be fulfilled in us which if it be meant of imputed righteousnesse as it is commonly taken the phrase shews it to bee as really ours as if wee had done it our selves if it bee taken of inherent righteousness as some of the learned take it it shews that where this imputed righteousnesse is there is also inherent as an effect thereof though it bee but imperfect begun and an effect of the former Object But this imputed righteousnesse is but a work of the thought and Cogitation only and is not a real matter therefore is not to bee rested in Answ This Righteousness that is imputed is really given to beleevers it is called the gift of Righteousness Rom. 5.17 that which is given is really our own to all such purposes wherein it may concern us Object But if Christs righteousness bee Imputed to us then it seems to follow that the beleever is as righteous as Christ and therefore every beleever is a redeemer and a Saviour of others for Christ was so Answ This will not follow because 1 The beleever is still a sinner in himself so was not Jesus Christ the righteous 2 Because the vertue that is in the head is communicated to all the members it doth not therefore follow that every member is thereby made a head to have such an influence into all the other members as the head hath 3 Redeemer Saviour Surety c. are denominations proper to him as he is a pay-master and satisfier of the Law in the behalf of others and not as any thing is due from himself and although his righteousnesse by a Legal Imputation to us and acceptation on our behalf is called ours and wee may bee properly said to bee righteous in his righteousness yet his surety-ship as such cannot bee imputed ours hence none of those denominations as of Saviour Redeemer c. So that though we be pay-masters and satisfiers of the Law under this imputation and by Gods account yet we are not therefore sureties or redeemers For it is proper to us onely to bee redeemed not to be redeemers So that the righteousness of Christ whereby hee satisfies the Law is applyed by imputation to the beleever not his Surety-ship Redeemer-ship because proper onely to the Redeemer and not communicable to the redeemed so much as by imputation for Redeemer and Redeemed are Relata ergo opposita neither doth the Law in demanding Satisfaction look at Surety-ship but paiment whether it bee in the person of the offender or of the surety Therefore this objection falls to the ground as vain and frivolous for though the Law calls a sinner perfectly righteous in his justification yet it calls him not a surety or a Redeemer for the Law calls not for a Surety c. but accounts the sinner as righteous touching the demands of the Law as one that never brake the Law yea as the Surety himself made under the Law for satisfaction to the Law by Active or Passive Obedience do equally dismiss or acquit the person that is under it from the Guilt Curse or Condemnation of it Reas 1. Taken from the union of the beleever with Christ for being once made one with Christ all his benefits become his so that the righteousnesse of the head is communicated to all his members The oyntment on the head of Aaron ran down on his skirts and members Thus Paul desired to bee found in Christ not having his own righteousnesse Phil. 3.9 hee desired the righteousnesse which is through faith i. e. imputed righteousnesse apprehended by faith and hee shews the reason why it is made the beleevers because we are found in him that is ingrafted into his Mystical body and are made one Mystical person with him and this will serve to answer Popish objections Obj. How can a man bee made righteous by another mans righteousnesse more than rich by another mans riches Ans Though the righteousnesse bee compared to a Garment in Scripture yet the Person of Christ is really united to the beleever which cannot be spoken of a garment Besides also Christ's imputed righteousnesse there is also imparted righteousnesse Reas 2. From the compar son between the first and second Adam for as Adams transgression of the Law of God is imputed to all his posterity and that in respect thereof they are reputed sinners and accursed and liable to eternal death so also Christs obedience whereby he fulfilled the Law is so imputed to the members of his Mystical body that in regard of God they stand as innocent justified and accepted to eternal life The Argument is Pauls Rom. 5.19 As by one mans disobedience many are made sinners so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous Vers 17. As by one mans offence death reigned by one much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousnesse shall reign in life by
is every unregenerate man his saying there is no God is his thought that is to take away his very being as farre as he is able a wicked man is not only content that there should bee no God or wishes that there were no God which is a monstrous and horrid villany but he concludes it peremptorily in himself there is no God and walks accordingly yea and whereas Gods Throne should be in the heart he thrusts him out from thence by such godlesse principles as this is I might enlarge this and clearly demonstrate unto you how that sin overthrows all the Divine properties his Mercy which it abuses his Justice which it denies his Truth which it belyeth his Holinesse which it makes like it self c. and the Lord may well complain of it that he is pressed under it as a Cart that is full of sheaves yea that he is broken with our whorish hearts departing from him c. Now let every soul that hears this Judge impartially how it can bee possible that the Lord of Hosts the King of glory should pardon them that doe willingly harbour such evident opposition against him and all that you have heard and much more may be said to bee in every sin wherefore it cannot bee without violation of Gods Nature that sin should passe unpunished or that no satisfaction at all should be required by this Divine Justice for it can Justice cease to be just then truth may bee turned into a lye and holinesse into wickednesse and God may cease to be God Briefly though sin be not infinite as God is for then God could not overcome it yet it is in some sort infinite in the malignity of it the Apostle saith Rom. 7.13 that it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that sin by the Commandement might be exceeding sinful sin can have no worse name than it self if it could the Apostle would have hit on it but saith hee that sin by the Commandement might bee Hyperbollically sinful and that by the Commandement which should redresse it Sin I say is in some sort infinite Sin in some sort infinite and that because 1 It is committed against an infinite Majesty and as it is a greater evil to strike a King than to strike a private person so it must needs bee a high degree of villany to strike at God 2 It is boundlesse in causing sin in the sinner and others also Rom. 6.19 Yee have yeelded up your members to iniquity there is no stop in sin It is said of Jeroboam that he sinned and made Israel to sin 3 It is boundlesse in regard of the Sinners will for it is contrary to the Will of God 1 Pet. 4.2 and if the sinner should live ever he would sin ever 4 It is in some sort infinite in regard of the mischief which it doth for it deprives us of an infinite good of the love of God and the sense and comfort thereof of communion with him of the joyes of Heaven and instead thereof brings infinite miseries The worm that dyeth not the fire that is not quenched Mar. 9.44 46 48. Obj. Though God in the Scripture speaks thus yet this is but to skare us wee hope that God will bee better than his word Ans If thou hast as much Religion or honesty as Balaam the false Prophet thou wouldest say with him Numb 23.19 God is not as man that he should lye and can the God of truth ever speak lyes This is a flat denial of God and a transforming of him into the likenesse of sinful man Rom. 3.4 Let God be true and every man a lyar c. Now what a sad consideration is this that a poor Creature must bee eternally miserable unlesse that God cease to bee God and the Scripture cease to be true would you not judge him to bee in a miserable condition who is never likely to bee freed from tormenting pains unlesse the Sun falls from Heaven and the frame of Heaven and Earth bee dissolved yet Luk. 16.17 It is easier for Heaven and Earth to passe away c. than God to speak untruth The Heavens and the Earth shall one day be burnt up but the Word of God is setled for ever in Heaven Psal 119.89 Obj. 2. But though Gods Word be sure yet happily hee may change his mind in respect of some men and women in the world and so we may speed well enough Ans No Job 23.13 hee is of one mind and who can turn him and what his soul desireth even that he doth Psal 33.11 The counsel of the Lord standeth for ever and the thoughts of his heart to all generations to make God mutable is to make him no God and is to charge him either with ignorance or error which are the causes why men are changeable in their wayes but these things are Atheistical and inconsistent with the Nature of God besides if the Lord should deal otherwise with one sinner than hee doth with another then Gods wayes were not equal contrary to that Ezek. 18.29 Obj. 3. Though God be not changed yet I will bee changed I will leave my sins and change my course and then I hope I need fear nothing Ans It is true of some of Gods threatnings denounced in the Scripture Jer. 18.6 that upon our repentance they shall not be accomplished and it were happy for thee indeed if thou wert changed both in heart and life but let me say as the Prophet doth Jer. 13.23 Can the Ethiopian change his skin or the Leopard his spots then may they who are accustomed to doe evil learn to doe well Thou goest on in a course of sin and a custom thereof and hardnest thy heart in it and this makes thy change unlikely but grant thou couldst change yet it is not any change of thy course for the future that can satisfie Justice for sins past as for example Suppose a Bankrupt-Tenant should be for many years behind with his Landlord but at length turns a good husband and payes his rent duely ever after the Landlord may take it for part of payment but he will also exact the old scores so suppose thou shouldst reform for the future yet thou canst not doe that perfectly neither yet who shall pay thy old Scores thy old Whoredoms and Thefts thy old Lyes Sabbath-breaking Ale-house-haunting Night-walking c. I say who shall pay for these So suppose a man hath long robbed his Neighbour and now he robbs no more this is something but he must satisfie the Law for old robbings and so it is in the case we have in hand Briefly if thou hadst committed but one small sin all thy life time yet all possible reformation cannot satisfie justice for that there being infinite evil in the least sin and God requiring an infinite satisfaction Obj. 4. But how can God deny to shew mercy to his Creatures and how can he pour out his anger for ever upon the work of his own hands Ans Isa 27.11 It is