justified by his blood It 's by this Blood as the procuring Cause this was the Propitiation Hence his Blood is said to cleanse us 1 Iohn 1.7 I hope you will not doubt that that of Christ for which we are justified is at least a part of Christ's Righteousness 4. If Christ's Poverty merited Riches for us then his Sufferings merited for us but Christ's Poverty merited Riches for us 2 Cor. 8.9 For ye know the grace of our Lord Iesus Christ that thô he was rich yet for your sakes he became poor that ye through his poverty might be rich He was Owner of all Things but for a time he quitted as it were his Claim to acquire Treasures for us who has forfeited all He had not a Cottage of his own to lay his Head in that he might purchase Mansions for us 5. That in the Virtue whereof Christ intercedes for and gives out the saving Blessings we receive did merit for us but it 's in the Virtue of his Death and Sufferings that Christ intercedes for and gives out the saving Blessings we receive He is entred into the holy place Heb. 9.12 Into heaven it self v. 24. There he presents the Offering he had finished on Earth that is in the Virtue thereof he claims and expects the Blessings promised thereto and merited thereby The dispensing thereof is committed to him and each of them is given to us and received by us in the express Virtue of that Offering I shall enumerate some and shew that each is assigned to Christ's Death and Sufferings Col. 1.14 In whom we have redemption through his blood even the forgiveness of sins Which Blood was shed for the remission of sins Matth. 26.28 Eph. 1.7 We have redemption through his blood Heb. 13. 12. Wherefore Iesus that he might sanctifie the people with his own blood suffered without the gate Reconciliation is owing to the same cause Col. 1.21 22. Now hath he reconciled in the body of his flesh through death to present you holy c. Yea eternal Life the sum of all promised good is granted on the same account Heb. 9.15 That by means of death for the redemption of their transgressions that were under the first Testament they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance Can you suppose that we have Remission Sanctification Peace and an eternal Inheritance for Christ's Death and Sufferings and that his Intercession for these and other Blessings is in the Virtue of his Blood and yet his Death merited not these 6. I might add Heb. 10.14 He hath by one offering perfected for ever them that are sanctified Which must not only prove that Christ's Death and Sufferings merited for us but that all saving Blessings are under their Influence as the meritorious Cause thereof Object Christ's Death and Sufferings were but the paying of a Debt and therefore merited nothing 1. A. Was not our Obedience a Debt Yea it was so more properly than our Sins or Punishment Sins are metaphorically called Debts but they are not Things we owe to God but are the neglect of that Obedience which we do owe to God and so oblige us to Punishment Punishments are called a Debt not as what God owes to us as a Debt or we to him but as what we are obnoxious to â—or Disobâ—dience if God is pleased to inflict them But yet he is not so obliged to Punish us as to exempt him from a Pardoning Right in the way his infinite Perfections will adjust If the Objection then will prove that Christ's Death merited nothing because it was the payment of a Debt theâ— it will more follow that Christ's Active Obedience merited nothing for that 's as much at least the paying of a Debt yea more properly The Confusion which this word Debt hath induced weak Men into especially as a Pecuniary Debt in the Doctrine oâ— Satisfaction I shall afterwards be necessitated to speak to 2. A. Christ's Death and Sufferings were Acts of Obedience in Christ and so they merited Our undergoing of Punishment would have been no Act of Obedience in us but an involuntary enduring of Vengeance It was not by a Divine Precept made our Duty but by the Sanction rendred due to us There was a Threatning whence it must be endured but no Commandment that made our being Punished an Obediential Act in us Is it an Act of our Obedience to die a Spiritual Death or to be hated and abhorred by the Lord Yea Is being eternally Damned a Duty performed to God by the Tormented But whatever our Lord Jesus suffered was obedientially and voluntarily endured It was God's Commandment to him and in him an Act of the highest Obedience to God he pleased God therein Ioh. 10.17 Therefore doth the father love me because I lay down my life He was obedient unto death Phil. 2.8 His willing subjection to God's Authority and Design herein was that which gave Life and Enâ—rgy to his Sufferings Truly Christ's Dying was the highest Act of Obedience and what we call his Active Obedience yields no Instance that equalleth this It followeth then that if Christ's Obedience could merâ—â— then his Death and Sufferings merited because they were strictly Acts of Obedience His very ensuring them was Obediential 3. A. Thô Death was due to us as Sinners yet Death was not due to Christ but as it was to be Satisfactory and Meritorious It was thus proposed to him by the Father and thus consented to by Himself He was to bear it as a Punishment for the satisfaction of Governing Justice and to merit the Pardon of Sinners his Sufferings were a Pardoning Price He had committed no Crime and therefore deserved no Punishment nor needed any Pardon But he was willing to bear the Punishment of our Crimes that thereby he might merit our Forgiveness in a way consistent with the Perfections of God and conducive to the Glory of Divine Government Hence Is. 53.5 The chastisement of our peace was upon him It on him was a Chastisement for our Peace as it s designed End True it was for Sin or it had not been necessary nor yet a Punishment but yet it was to purchase our Salvation or he had not submitted to it 4. A. The immediate Efficacy and Operation of Christ's Sufferings upon us are as they be Meritorious Christ's Death must be satisfactory to God or he would not have accounted it Meritorious of Peace to us nor granted us Benefits on the account thereof Provoked Justice and the Injury to Divine Government by Sin stood in the Sinner's way yea stood in the way of all Merit for good to us There must be a Propitiation for Sin to God and this being made to God it 's accepted as a Ransom and Price by him and so it operates on the Sinner in a way of Merit consequential of that satisfaction we are redeemed by Christ's Blood as a Redeeming Price we are saved by it as Meritorious of Salvation Thô it was also offered as an
and not destroy the Sinner and be as glorious in forgiving as in punishing To him the satisfaction was made and by him accepted Heb. 10.7 And hence the Sinner is not free as soon as the satisfaction was made but it's when and on what terms the Law-giver and Sponsor would adjust yea and the release comes to the Sinner as a forgiving Act. Exh. Adore the Wisdom and Grace of God Oh! what Grace that would transfer the punishment What Wisdom that contrived a way to place it so that God should be satisfied and yet his Grace be free The Sinner saved and yet not tempted to Rebel The Sufferer repaid in Glory suited to what he did and endured The Redeemed kept Humble as Pardoned tho' the Pardon was granted on a valuable Price The Gift so bestowed as to exert Authority and necessitate Diligence And yet nothing done on the Receivers part to purchase the Gift or to Rob Grace of its Glory it s comprehensively expressed Eph. 1.7 8. In whom we have redemption through his blood the forgiveness of sin according to the riches of his grace wherein he hath abounded towards us in all wisdom and prudence 5 Prop. The righteousness of Christ in all respects is perfect and compleat yet Christ's Righteousness is variously denominated from those different respects However variously we conceive thereof it s every way perfect it 's chargeable with no defect nor subject to any challenge 1. It 's perfect if you consider it as a meer conformity to the preceptive part of the Moral Law in which respect it 's the same as Holiness He was holy harmless and undefiled separate from sinners Heb. 7.26 He was habitually Holy above Adam yea above Angels none so full of grace and truth as he Joh. 1.14 No Mind so filled with light in actu primo even from the very â—â—nning no Heart so inlaid with the Divine Image and enflamed with Love as his he had the Spirit without measure Ioh. 3.34 He had no taint of evil in his Constitution in the Womb he was that Holy thing Luk. 2.35 And when the Tempter assaulted him with the most Skilful violence he had nothing in him Ioh. 14.30 He super-eminently obeyed to an Iota all that was required of him or competent to his Person and this without any defect in the manner and to the utmost extent of the Precept Thus compleatly Holy was Christ which Holiness went into the matter of his Righteousness and is often called so he gave God his utmost due as a Holy Law-giver 2. It was a perfect Righteousness as the performed condition of the Reward promised him in the Covenant of Redemption Whatever was promised to Christ either for himself or Members was promised upon certain conditions some of which were a due undergoing of the bitterest Sufferings threatned in the Law of Works others were included in that of his Active Obedience A Penal Sanction in case of his failure had no room in the Law of Mediation because of the impossibility of his Non-performance and therefore a right to Impunity is of as little concern but Christ's Active and Passive Obedience became formally a compleat Righteousness as what he did and suffered was an exact fulfilling of the condition of the Reward in the Sanction He took our Nature he made his Soul an Offering for Sin he Honouâ— the Law he Glorified God he did all the â—â—rk which was given him to do and drunk the Dregs of the Cup which was appointed him to Drink He fulfilled all Righteousness Mat. 3.15 Even all that for which he was to be Exalted or his Seed made Happy nothing was omitted by him or abated to him 3. This Righteousness of Christ as the performed condition of the Reward was a Federal Righteousness above what was to be Man's Righteousness by the Law of Works which could not be but that the conditions consented to by Christ in the Covenant of Redemption were other and greater than what were required of Adam by the Covenant of Works I shall give you a few of many instances of Conditions appointed to Christ in the Covenant of Redemption above what the Law of Works required The Law of Works did not require the Person Obeying or Suffering to be the Eternal Son of God in our Nature but the Covenant of Redemption required this should I Name no more this would fully prove the point But I add The Law of Works did not exact an Obedience above what Innocent Adam was able to perform but the Covenant of Redemption did this And Christ so obeyed in our Nature not needlessly as must fill the Angels with admiration to see themselves outdone The Covenant of Works did not exact Punishment even to Death from the same Person as still yielded perfect Obedience but the Covenant of Redemption did this The Law of Works did not require or appoint a vicarious Punishment or Obedience from a Sponsor for others but limited both to the Persons originally subject to the Law whereas the Covenant of Redemption appointed this The Law of Works did not command the Sufferings of any as a Reconciling Propitiation but the Law of Mediation did this My reason for that is The Law of Works did by its Threats denounce Vengeance against Sin But this was not by a Precept upon Obedience whereto the Sufferer could Merit Peace and Reconciliation whereas the Law of Mediation appointed Christs Death for a Propitiatory Offering and in Dying he yielded the highest Act of Obedience to a Precept Ioh. 14.31 And this to make Reconciliation Heb. 2.17 Col. 1.20 The Covenant of Works did as a condition of Impunity and Reward injoin Obedience to no Law but that which Adam was under viz. the Law of Works and the Positive one Prohibiting the Eating of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil But the Covenant of Redemption required Obedience to the Ceremonial Law c. The Law of Works appointed no more Obedience than Governing Justice as such had suited to the Rewards of that Covenant But as the Covenant of Redemption had far higher Rewards so it ordained suitable conditions The Law of Works appointed no Obedience after Sin as a Meritorious condition of obtaining forfeited Benefits but the Covenant of Redemption did this We may easily perceive that the conditions prescribed to our Redeemer much differ'd from those the Law of Works required and since Christ fulfilled all these his federal Righteousness exceeds that which the Law of Works prescribed If you ask why Christ's Righteousness must thus exceed what the Law of Works ordained I Answer It 's because it's a greater thing to Redeem an Offender than to continue an Innocent Persons Right to Impunity And it 's more to Purchase greater Blessings for one that hath forfeited all good than it is to continue lesser Blessings tho' with some addition to one that hath not forfeited Yea and Reconciliation is more difficult than maintaining Peace before any Enmity 4. Christs Righteousness was perfect as it was his
Atonement and supposed to be so ere Life could be granted to Men for the sake thereof 5. A. It were a great Reflection on the Father and upon Christ as well as destructive to Sinners to suppose that Christ by his Death and Sufferings merited nothing for us God is strangely represented if he will have his innocent Son die for Sinners and yet his Death not be allowed Meritorious of the Release of Sinners We conceive not of Christ according to his Wisdom that he would make his Soul an Offering for Sin and not thereby purchase the Release of Sinners in his way And as to the concern of Sinners What avails it them that Christ died to honour Justice if their Pardon Adoption and Glory be not merited thereby If we should conceive that Christ died for us and yet thereby merited not that we should not die but live it would infer that Christ's Satisfaction did no more than make it consistent with God's Glory to save Believers but not certain that God would save those that believe I say Believers because Christ died to purchase Salvation absolutely for none but them that would believe Thô he purchased Faith for the Elect whereby their Happiness is as sure as if absolutely purchased and the serious Offers of Salvation on the Terms of the Gospel for all Men that hear the Gospel I hope these Considerations will induce you to conclude that the Death and Sufferings of Christ are Meritorious of saving Blessings for us Thô I grant Christ's Active Obedience was Meritorious yea and in a very proper sense Satisfactory too yet if it were necessasary which it is not that we must confine the Merit of Salvation to either his Active or Passive Obedience I should esteem it abundantly safer to confine it to his Passive Obedience as Olevian Piscator Windelin Gataker Pitcairn and many of our greatest Divines have done I shall contract the Application of what you have heard and leave the Improvement of such Inferences as these to your Minds 1. How great and awful an Evil is Sin Besides the Defilement which it brings the Debasement of our Rational Nature by it and that Obnoxiousness to Punishment which attends it we have seen how contrary it is to the Holy Nature of God and what an Injury to the Glory of his Government This is that Provocation which Essential Justice required an Atonement for and the Wisdom of God saw necessary to punish in the most awful manner in his very Son What an Offence was that which when his boundless Grace made him willing to forgive yet his other Perfections would not admit to pass unpunished that the Government of God might receive no damage by Man's Impunity The Agony and Death of our Redeemer as convincingly testifie the Evil of Sin as the Howlings of the Damned yea in many respects far more This is that of which without blood there is no remission Heb. 9.22 Yea for which the Blood of Christ alone was a fit Propitiation 1 Ioh. 2.2 The Blood of him alone that was God could wash it out of God's Books and fetch its Stain out of our Consciences Whatever Wonder is displayed in the method of Redemption proclaims the Odiousness and Disorder of Sin Let us then humbly bewail our past Offences wonder that we can make a Mock of Sin be in Distress till our Pardon be sealed to us watch and be afraid of all Sin for the future and be restless whiles this worst of Evils hath any room in our Hearts or advantage to break out in our Lives 2. The Governing Justice of God is strictly exact and his Authority sacred God is infinite in Mercy but not to the least Detriment of Justice he bare a good Will to the Elect but will not eclipse his Throne in forgiving them He will be just even when he Pardons Rom. 3.25 His Son must obey in our Nature if we neglect or fail to obey his Son must die in our Flesh if we offend and yet obtain Remission Angels irremediably perish for their Rebellion having no God in their Nature to atone for them If sinful Man escape it 's by a Satisfaction made by Christ in their Nature as their Sponsor Heb. 2.14 16. More of this afterwards Let us reverence his Laws tremble at his Threats submit to all he Prescribes and serve him with Reverence and godly Fear for our God is a consuming fire Heb. 12.28 29. 3. How amazing is the Love of the Father in giving his Son for us and as astonishing is the Love of Christ in giving himself for us The Indignation of God against Sin and the Love of God to Sinners contend in this Instance God takes occasion to display his Love while he vindicates the Honour of his Justice Rom. 5.8 But God commendeth his love towards us that whiles we were yet sinners Christ died for us He doth herein not only assure us of his Love but gives to Angels and Men an instance of the Infiniteness of that Love of his By this beyond any other he proclaims how much he can love Can you question it when you consider him so provoked by Sin when you weigh the Dignity and Dearness of his Son to him the humble State he was to enter into and the astonishing Miseries he was to endure in that State and this for vile Worms and careless resolved Enemies Well might the Apostle say Herein is love not that we loved God but that God loved us and sent his son to be the propitiation for our sins 1 Joh. 4.10 Alas all Creatures love to God is not worth the name of Love in comparison with his Love to us How should this aggravate our Unkindness raise our admiring Thoughts heighten our Esteem unite our Hearts to him render him the Object of our supreme Delight and render our Obedience to his Commands exact and pleasing yea join'd with the greatest Zeal for his Glory and Serviceableness to his Interests The Father's Love must not be overlook'd which too many are guilty of by representing him to their Mâ—â—ds as only exacting Satisfaction from Christ not minding that he provided and gave Christ to make that Satisfaction Our blessed Redeemer's Love is alike unaccountable he was not ignorant of what attended his Undertaking when he subscribed it he knew all the Abasement of his humble State he understood all the bitter Ingredients of the Cup how deep every Nail in the Cross was to pierce what Impressions Divine Wrath would make and what an Eclipse his own vailed Glory would occasion But yet his Love was sufficient to take on him all this weight and carry him through the utmost of his Undertaking His Kindness was not quenched by floods of Sorrow nor his Heart changed when he felt the most with the bitter Cup in his hand he embraced them for whose sake he was to drink it Ioh. 13.1 When Iesus knew that his hour was come having loved his own he loved them to the end What care took he of them
in Justification and upon this the rest depend Hereby we are made Righteous in Christ's Righteousness Though we be not personally Innocent yet Christ's Righteousness which fully answered the Law is judicially applied so as to give us a sure right to be dealt with as to Eternity as if we had been Innocent and Perfect which is what we principally need and as much as we are capable of considering we are Sinners and that we did not provide the Ransom nor substitute him that became so 2. God hereupon actually forgives adopts and gives the Earnest of Glory to Believers thus invested in the Righteousness of Christ and on the account of that Righteousness This is Executive Justification in part and indeed all Benefits peculiar to the Members of Christ are conferred in a way of Execution hereof unless as we may consider such Benefits as follow Pardon and Adoption to refer to Justification as including an additional Right resulting from Gods pardoning and adopting Acts. The reason why I add this is that Pardon gives a Right to impunity and Adoption gives a Right to the Privileges of Children and so with respect to Forgiveness and Adoption a Believer may be called Righteous and frequently in Scripture is called so though inclusively of Christ's Righteousness because it 's for that we are so forgiven and adopted Forgiveness is of so great importance in Justification that upon the account hereof we are said to be Blessed Yea it 's put frequently for the whole of Justification Rom. 4.6 7 8. it 's so in the Lord's Prayer Luk. 11.4 yea it 's so put in our Creed 3. God judicially sentenceth the Believers thus made partakers of Christ's Righteousness and thereupon pardoned and adopted to be them who have a Right to Impunity Favour and Glory and accepts them as such notwithstanding all challenges and accusation Rom. 8.33 34. Who shall lay any thing to the Charge of Gods Elect It is God that justifieth who is he that condemneth It is Christ that died yea rather that is risen again who is even at the Right Hand of God who also maketh intercession for us This doth not only obviate the Accusation of Persecutors against such as are chosen to suffer but it answers all Challenges against every Believer gathered out of the World by the Spirit pursuant to God's Eternal Election for against the unconverted Elect God himself hath much to Charge and he lays it to their Charge by his Law-condemning Sentence But as to the Converted here 's a general defiance and a large enumeration of what tend to their defence God justifies them and this for the sake of Christ's Death and that the Death of him who is risen and being risen is enthroned and being enthroned intends their Security by his Intercession It 's true if they be charged to have been sinners they must own it as a true Charge But what then must they Dye for their Sin No God declares they are pardoned and this upon a Righteousness more then adequate to the Law of Works and they have no lower a safety from their Guilt than Christ's Title who died that Believing Sinners might not Dye but Live Indeed if the Charge be That these are not Believers then God Acquits them another way of which hereafter This is Sentential Justification which is Virtual now and will be solemnized at the great Day 4. It is the Gospel whereby God justifieth us as his Instrument God in his his Word having declared that he will Iustifie him that Believes Rom. 3.30 and that we are justified by Faith Rom. 5.1 and Commanding us to Believe with a Promise That we shall be Justified if we Believe He doth by this very Declaration of his Will Justifie the Believer This promise effects what it includes assoon as the Object is answerable to the Tenure of the Promise By this he Imputes Christ's Righteousness to the Convert and so makes him Righteous declares him Righteous and treats him as Righteous in for and by Christ's Righteousness and this assoon as he Believes There needs no more to express it now than this Word of his Mouth unless as we may add the Sacramental Seals and also such influences and acts of Power whereby such Benefits are conferred as are Executive of the Justifying Sentence and so far are a Divine Declaration of our State as Justified 5. The Object of God's Justifying Act is the living humbled converted Believer who by Faith cometh to accepteth of and rusteth in Christ as an entire Saviour The promise of this Mercy being to such yea confined to such and Unbelievers declared to have God's Wrath abiding on them especially when this Gospel is that Word of the Lord whereby we are Justified Gal. 3.22 Ioh. 3.36 and 8.24 Rom. 10.4 We must then Believe but it is not Faith unless it be a coming to accepting of and trusting in a Christ it is not a Christ if he be not a whole Saviour When will we Believe if we be not convinced and humbled How can we Believe if we be not quickned by the Spirit Yea of what sort of Faith is it if we are not purposed in our Heart to turn from all Sins Self and Idols to Christ and to God by him Which turning is oft the Word by which the Spirit oft expresseth Faith it self Ezek. 18.21 30.1 Pet. 2.25 Acts 26 18. By what is said you may Answer the main Enquiries that occur to your Mind concerning Justification Qu. Who Justifies us Ans. God as our Ruler Qu. What doth God do for us or on us when he Justifies Ans. 1. He Imputes Christ's Righteousness to us whereby we have his Right to our Pardon Absolution c. 2. He actually forgives absolves and adopts us in Christ's Right and for the sake of his Obedience And by this forgiveness absolution and adoption he further gives us a Right to Impunity the in-dwelling Spirit Perseverance and Eternal Glory 3. He pronounces us free from all Accusation and Challenges that would import a present liableness to Eternal Death or bar to Eternal Glory we having Christ's Righteousness and thereby our Pardon Absolution from the Curse and our Adoption for our Plea and Defence Qu. What is our State by being thus Justified Ans. We are accepted with God free from Eternal Condemnation and entitled to Life as if we had not sinned but kept the whole Law to this time Yea we have some greater Benefits than we forfeited as Union with Christ the in-dwelling Spirit and Perseverance whereby we are secured from forfeiting Eternal Life for the future Qu. By what Instrument or Sign of his Will doth God Justifie us Ans. By the Gospel-promise Quest. Whom doth God Justifie Ans. The true Believer whether he know himself to be so or no and no others Yea God in Justifying a Man doth as far declare him to be a Believer as he declares him to be Justified Qu. When doth God Justifie a Sinner Ans. Assoon as he is a Believer and not before
his and the Fathers Pleasure it was us he was to Buy but it was he alone stood obliged to Pay He engaged to die for us but that is not engaging for us as Principals that he would die a thing which we never were obliged to He did not engage we should not Sin nor if we sinned that we should make satisfaction but he engaged that he would satisfie God that we might not die for our Sins even one Christ for all of us once to die instead of our eternal Death 2 R. Were Christ a proper pecuniary Surety in his Death and Obedience there would be no room for God's Forgiving us any Sin or giving us any Mercy as of Free Gift unless he forgave us more than Christ satisfied for or bestowed what he did not merit This is evident for if my Surety be bound with me to a Creditor for a Thousand Pounds if my Surety pay as my Surety this Thousand Pounds the Creditor forgives me nothing I pay him all So as to Merit If I buy a Jewel for an Hundred Pounds and give Bond for it with a Surety bound with me for that Sum if my Surety shall pay that â—undred Pounds can the Seller be said to give me that Jewel No. I in a Law-sense paid him because my Surety did it Whereas the Gospel lays the Stress of our Felicity upon Forgiveness Rom. 4.8 Acts 13.38 And though Justice do not suffer as having received Glory by Christ yet that is not to exclude Forgiveness but to make way for Forgiveness in a Consistency with his Perfections And further God no more sells us any Blessing notwithstanding Christ's Merits than Christ sells them to us Whereas he must sell all Benefits and forgive no Faults if he be considered as a Creditor and Christ our Money Surety Obj. God may be said to forgive us being he admitted Christ to be a Pecuniary Surety though we pay by him Ans. That goes a very little way towards Forgiveness yea and to refuse it in Money-Matters is hardly admittable by the Rules of Equity It sounds low to hear a Creditor say You were bound to me for a Thousand Pounds which I was paid by one that I allowed to be your Surety and because I would take it from you by him I forgave it you though I got from you legally by your Surety every Farthing of your Debt This is not Forgiving and such a Change whilst the very Debt in kind is paid is not an Abatement Obj. God procured Christ to be our Surety and therefore he forgave us Ans. In Solution of Money this will not amount to Forgiveness If one owes me Ten Pounds for which I cast him in Prison and finding him Insolvent do I forgive him if I get one that wisheth him well to pay it for him I befriend him but am paid all my self even by him in his Surety without forgiving I know nothing more Suspicious to be an Error than what tends to overturn the Doctrine of the Forgiveness of Sins which is the great Support of a poor Sinner and of this the Notion of strict Money-Suretiship whereby we paid all to God is guilty whereas if you consider God as Ruler and Christ as Mediator making Satisfaction for Criminals by enduring Punishment in their stead we avoid all the Difficulties which that of Money-Debts perplex the Work of Redemption with The Socinians main strength lies in Objections from Sin being as a Money-Debt and Christ's Death being the Payment of a Debt even the Idem This is perceived and therefore denied by our best Authors against the Socinians as Lubbertus Essenius Turretin Owen Stillingfleet c 3 R. Were Christ a proper Pecuniary Surety in the same Law of Works with them then every Believer would be entitled to the same Reward as Christ is entitled to yea and as much or more than Christ. This is evident for if I Covenant with another that in Consideration of my paying a Thousand Pounds I shall enjoy such an Estate of Fifty Pounds a Year I have a Surety engaged with me for the Payment of that Money I by my Surety pay the Thousand Pounds upon which I have the Legal Right to that Estate rather than my Surety but at most my Surety can have a Right to no more than that Fifty Pounds a Year in common with me by those Covenants 〈◊〉 here be other Covenants between me and 〈◊〉 wherein I engage to repay him that or mâ—â—e in those Covenants he is not my Surety but a distinct Party Hence it follows that we are entitled to be exalted over all and have a name above every name to see our Seed to be regarded as Saviours at least to be Satisfiers to God for our selves and our own Redeemers in Law-sense Obj. Christ paid all Personally and not we and therefore he hath peculiar Rewards and Honour Ans. The Principal and Surety is one Legal Person and therefore if the Law reckon we satisfied in Christ the Reward promised on that Satisfaction is common to us with Christ The Law gives the Honour as it receives the Tribute and distributes the Recompence as it estimates the Obedience One Person in Law made up of us and Christ alike obeyed in Law-sense and then one Person in Law made up of him and us must be alike rewarded as we are reckoned to do all so we are adjudged to have a Right to have all due upon that doing I shall say more of this presently 4 R. If Christ be a strict Pecuniary Surety I think it will be impossible to confute many very erronious Opinions which naturally are deduced therefrom What can be said against our being Justified actually before we believe For if we satisfied the Law in Christ How can our Justification be suspended till we believe unless there be some other Law The Law acquits us as soon as the Condition is performed by us Obj. We do not apply Christ to our selves before Faith Ans. 1 But God by the Law applies him to us if we have satisfied it and he hath applied him already in making him our Money-Surety the Law will execute it self whether we apply or no. 2. When the Conditions are performed by us it 's against the Law to deny us the Reward or at least to continue us under its Curse a Moment yea or to injoyn any Terms on us for possessing the Reward besides its own Conditions which are fulfilled by us The laying of Guilt on our Persons any time is unjust Obj. We are not Christ's Seed till we Believe Ans. All will not own that but if we ever satisfie in Christ it must be when he satisfied it is not to be done now when the Act of Performing the Atonement and Paying the Debt is over Can we by becoming his Seed now be esteemed to pay what he paid so many Years since if we did not pay it then Or can he be our Money-Surety by whom we pay now when he hath done paying and not then when he was
paying Obj. He being given by God to be our Surety and not appointed by us to die God may suspend giving us the Benefits of his Death until we Believe Ans. If God made him a strict Money-Surety with us in the Law of Innocence he either did change the Law or precluded himself from a Right of suspending the Benefits at least the Restauration of his Image and Freedom from the Reign of Sin the Curse and Wrath of God till we Believe for the Law is changed if it say thou shalt be Free from the Dominion of Sin and the Guilt thereof but not till thou Believe in Christ though thou hast already legally performed all the legal Conditions If it be not changed it immediately entitles to the Reward and must be violated if at least any Punishment lie upon the perfect Performer of the Conditions for it 's a punishing us after the Debt is legally paid by us Now though there is hardly a Truth more plain in the Word of God than that The Wrath of God abides still upon all Vnbelievers notwithstanding Christ's Death yet you see how this Notion of Money-Suretiship shakes it I might instance others as we ought not to confess our Sins nor pray for Forgiveness God afflicts only from Sin but not for Sin at all God will Judge and Justifie us only by the Law of Works and we are Saved by that Law If God charge us with Sin we may charge him with Unrighteousness David was as acceptable to God whilst he murthered Vriah as when he obeyed God most God requires nothing from us to escape his Wrath and Curse for Sin we must not propose any Benefit to our selves by any Duty or acting of Grace nor are we the better a Jot by them These and the like spring from this very Opinion That we satisfied the Law fully and perfectly obeyed it in Christ as a pecuniary Surety with us in that Law To say nothing of the advantage the Socinians have thereby These things may Caution us in our Conceptions especially when the considering of Christ as a Pecuniary Surety of the Law of Works paying Debts to a Creditor is not necessary to any one Gospel End neither the Glory of Christ the Government of God the Salvation of the Elect the Spiritual Comfort of Believers or promoting of Holiness All which are more clearly subserved by this word as Surety of the New Covenant joined with other words frequently used by the Holy Ghost as Mediator Redeemer Saviour Ransomer and the whole Oeconomy of Redemption plainly stated thereby 5 R. Christ's being a strict Money-Surety would be a very great loss to us If he be our Surety in the Covenant of Works then we can have no Claim to any Benefit but what the Covenant of works promiseth whereby we shall lose Union with Christ the in-dwelling Spirit and whatever degree of Glory is to be expected by Christ above what Adam was to enjoy in case he had not fallen of which I have spoken before The reason is if I have a Surety in a Bond wherein I have certain Immunities upon paying a Sum of Money if my Surety pay that Money I can thereby have a Right to no more Immunities than that Bond contains 6 R. Christ where he is called a Surety was a Surety of the better Testament and therefore not of the Law of Works which enjoined Obedience and inflicted Death on sinners Heb. 7.22 The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is sometimes rendred Testament sometimes Covenant and well it might be rendred a Legal Disposition But call it which you will this Testament or Covenant of which Christ is Surety here cannot be the Covenant of Works It was not the Covenant that obliged us to die for Sin or perfectly Obey in a way of Merit that here he is called Surety of Is the Law of Works that better Covenant or Testament Or must Christ be a Surety for us in the Covenant of Works because he is Surety of the better Covenant which is not the Covenant of Works If you doubt whether this better Covenant be not the Covenant of Works consider the whole Context This better Covenant is opposed to the Iewish Covenant as the Priesthood of Christ is opposed to the Levitical Priesthood which Priesthood of Christ the Apostle proved to be higher and better than the Levitical by many Arguments As Christ was a Priest after the Order of Melchisedeck who was greater than Abram or Levi He succeeded the Levitical Priesthood as it was unable to attain the great Ends of Priesthood His Priesthood is unchangeable because he ever lives and those Priests were Mortal Christ was made Priest by an Oath they without an Oath And to add no more Christ was Surety of a better Testament which is again expressed Heb. 8.6 He is the Mediator of a better Covenant or Testament and ver 7. If the first Covenant had been faultless there had been no place for a second The better Covenant or Testament in Chap. 8.6 must be the same as this better Testament or Covenant in this Chap. 7.22 the word there and here is the same And there you have a full Account what this better Covenant is It 's the New Covenant wherein forgiveness of sin among other Blessings is promised Heb. 8.9 to 13. At most it's the Covenant of Grace as in the last Edition Of which Covenant but on different Accounts Christ is called the Mediator the Surety the Testator And the betterness of this Edition of the Covenant is founded on the betterness of Christ's Priesthood who by his Blood purchased it with all its Benefits confirmed it by his Death and by his intercession secures the great ends of it q. d. By how much he had a better Priesthood By so much he was made a Surety of a better Testament Heb. 7.22 and repeats it Heb. 8.6 He hath obtained a more excellent Ministry By how much also he is the Mediator of a better Covenant which was established upon better Promises Was this the Covenant of Works Surely no for the Law of Works pronounced the Curse this the Blessing The Law of Works bindeth guilt this Assures us that God will be merciful to our unrighteousness and our sins and iniquities he 'll remember no more The Law of Works is a killing Letter By this Covenant of which Christ is Surety God writes his Law in our Hearts and is to us a God and we to him a People Yea â—â—rseverance is secured Our Lord Jesus is a Surety of this blessed and better Covenant he will see it kept by all the parties he undertakes to have its Ends accomplished and it fulfilled Believers shall persevere New Testament Saints shall generally have freer Access to God Fear and Know God more and be Holier than Old Testament Saints Yea I grant all the Elect shall be brought into this Covenant and be saved by it As Mediator of this Covenant he died for the Redemption of Transgressions even those under the
needed Alas Believers have their Right to Blessedness maintained by God's frequently Forgiving their Sinful Forfeitures Without this Forgiveness they would soon be liable to Misery and to be dealt with as Unrighteous And are such equally Righteous as Christ 4. It were intollerably Arrogant for Believers to Plead with God as they might justly do if they were equally righteous as Christ Dare they say Lord we need no Pardon from thee thou forgivest us nothing I legally paid the utmost Farthing by perfectly Obeying and Suffering too I will that this and that be done for me Iohn 17.24 thou art unjust to me as well as to my Surety and not only Unfaithful if I am denied Would this sound Conscientiously any more than Decently Have Believers a Right pleadable on this Head of Iustice And yet Christ is so Righteous that he can plead so of Right Can they be in equality Righteous whose Claim is so Different 5. We are not dealt with as if we were equally Righteous with Christ and yet God is not Vnjust nor Vnfaithful therein Believers have much Sin in their Hearts frequent Offences they commit they want much of God's Image their Graces are very Weak and Imperfect the Spirit of God oft grieved by them and for it abates his Influences God is provoked frequently and therefore hides his Face and rebukes them in Displeasure yea leaves them under Temptations To say nothing of other Penal Corrections as Poverty Cursed Relations Death and the Fears of it yet in all God is Righteous even when these are inflicted for Sin nay a great part of them is Sin in them though the with-holding of more Grace is Righteous in God and oft repeated as Penal yea indeed all remains of Sin in our Hearts are the Penal Effects of our first Apostasie not yet removed by Divine Grace Can any Man consider this and say Believers in this case are equally righteous as Christ Hath he no more a right to his present exalted State than we have to our present Freedom from the Effects of our Apostasie Or are we equally righteous when all these things are justly left upon us Had we a right to be at present Free from all Sin and Trouble to be immediately made fully conformable to Christ sure we should arrive thereto even now And if we have not a right to a present Freedom from these Evils and Enjoyment of the opposite Good we cannot be now righteous equally with Christ A present right to Freedom from Sin hereafter is even in that an Inequality to Christ's right who is entitled to a present Freedom from all that is Humbling or Afflictive and never was subject to Sin it self 6. Christ hath a right to much more Good than we shall ever enjoy or have a right to Believers have not now no nor ever shall have a right to a Reward equal to the Redeemer's Crown He will receive a Homage as Redeemer His Humane Nature possesseth a Glory beyond all created Beings Now can they be equally righteous with Christ in matter of right who have a right to no more than what is abundantly short of his It is unaccountable to denominate one righteous from the Greatness or Largeness of right and conclude them equally righteous who have so unequal a Right as to the Greatness of the Things they are entitled to of which this Head speaks and in what so differenceth the Nature of their right as applied to them of which before Christ hath given us in his right many Blessings which begin the Felicity he intends to compleat hereafter according to our various Capacities to receive but he hath not transferred to us his right to the Salvation of Millions to Dominion of Angels to give out the Fruits of his own Righteousness as he pleaseth and many such Prerogatives that never belong to Believers I might add We are not so Solemnly adjudged righteous as Christ is and that makes an Inequality And our righteous State is sustained by a constant Intercession of Christ in his own right but I think enough is said to conclude this Point for if we are not equally Holy as Christ nor have equally performed the legal Conditions with Christ nor have an equal right to the Rewards promised on those Conditions as Christ nor are equally adjudged righteous by God's solemn Sentence as Christ was Where is the least Shadow of doubting that Believers are not as righteous as Christ in equality No not as to Suretiship-righteousness or in any other proper Sense Obj. If my Surety paid my Debt I am as Free from my Creditor's Arrest as if I never owed him any thing I can tell him I legally paid him all and he cannot charge me c. and therefore I am as Righteous as Christ. Ans. The Improperness of calling God Creditor and Sin Debts otherwise than Metaphorically I have spoken to The Socinians have such an Advantage by it that all Men who understand the true way of opposing them quit these Terms But 1. Such as make this Objection and urge it to prove that Believers are as righteous as Christ must confine our Righteousness as a right only to Impunity and not extend it to positive Good as eternal Glory is And is it not strange to affirm Christ by his Death only paid a Debt but merited nothing and yet argue we are as righteous as Christ meerly because our Debt is paid which is by his Death What is not Christ's Active Obedience a part of his Righteousness If it be then notwithstanding our Impunity by the Payment of our Debt Christ is more righteous than us as having the Merit of his Active Obedience 2. But it is so far from true that the Believer paid God all his Debt that it is true he paid God not one Penny of his Debt neither by himself nor by Christ as a Money-Surety Christ made Satisfaction to God the injured Law-giver as a Priâ—cipal Undertaker to save us in his way but the Believer never made any Satisfaction to God for the least Sin as I have fully proved And therefore it 's gross arguing that I am as righteous as Christ because I paid all my Debt when I paid nothing but was forgiven all 3. The Believer is contracting new Debts every day and were it not for a renewed Washing or Pardon by Christ's Blood still applied he would be subject to new Arrests Ier. 36.3 Psalm 51.9 Matt. 6.12 Is it well argued then I am as righteous as Christ because I would daily run my self into Prison but that I have a Pardon oft repeated in the Virtue of his Righteousness 4. Though Pardon in Christ's right will keep a Believer out of Hell yet he is unacquainted with the Word and the Dealings of God with Believers that think they feel none of the bitter Fruits of Sin and several Arrests of Displeasure for Sin Rev. 3.19 Ames 3.2 Eternal Condemnation is the soarest but not the only Effect of Sin Is it a part our Freedom that our Lusts
Saving some and Damning others who yet had the very same Offers Invitations and Calls Rom. 2.16 9. They that disobeyed the Gospel are justly liable to sorer Punishments and Vengeance than would have fallen on them for their first Apostasie Matt. 11.24 10. Here is an apt means to excite Diligence Watchfulness Faith Repentance and Holiness and to prevent Sloath Despair Presumption and Disobedience I appeal to the Consciences of Men whether fallen Men are liker to be governed by telling them You are under no Law but the Law of Works which requires all Graces and Duties alike and all to be done perfectly without Sin or you must eternally Perish though it 's true if God please to justifie you by Christ's Righteousness then you have legally fulfilled this Law and you are justified by it and you shall go to Heaven But God requires no Duty or Care on your part in order to be Justified by Christ's Righteousness nor doth he command you to act any Grace with a Promise of any Benefit upon that Act nor threaten you with any Damage whatever Sin you commit so that you have Faith as a Sign but not a Condition of your Pardon nor ought you to obey any Command as a means of Good to you but only in Gratitude that Christ hath done all for you Or else this way God hath set down this Authoritative Rule to give Sinners the Beneficial Fruits of Christ's Death and commands you to obey it that though you are Lost yet if you believe and repent you shall be pardoned if not the Wrath of God will abide on you Turn to God and you shall Live iâ— not you shall Die Fight the good Fight if you overcome you shall be Crowned and reap if you faint not but if you draw back God will have no Pleasure in you Be Fruitful for if you be Barren you are nigh to Cursing and your end is to be Burned Use your Talents for if you improve them God will reward you with greater Blessedness but if you hide them in a Napkin you shall for your Unprofitableness be cast into the Lake that burns with Fire and Brimstone Subdue your Lusts for if Sin reign in you you shall Die but if you Mortifie the Deeds of the Flesh you shall Live c. O then attend the means of Grace look to Christ be earnest with God watch and strive as for your Lives Whether I say is liker to Influence Men to the Design of Redemption and Obedience to God the first or this last And I am sure this last is the way God chuseth for it 's his Words though we are not by this way excluded from adding Arguments that may also excite Gratitude But are not these words of Authority the Dictates of a Ruler and yet not the Law of Works which promiseth nothing of Good to the Imperfect and bindeth Death for the lease Sin 9. The Gospel enjoineth nothing on Men for the impetration or purchasing of Justification or any other Benefit but that they may receive Justification and every Benefit as the Effect of Christ's Merits Christ hath Bought all by his Obedience and by the Gospel prescribeth the way how he in his own right will give what he hath acquired As the Gospel is his Testament he describeth his Legatees as it 's God's Covenant our Consent to it is necessary to it's Blessings 10. The use of Faith in order to Justification is that it renders the Sinners the ordained Objects of God's Justifying Act and Gift according to his own Gospel Rule Justification brings the Righteousness by which we are pardoned but God promiseth to Justifie him that hath Faith and saith he will not Justifie him that hath not Faith Doth not Faith distinguish him that hath Faith from another that hath not Faith And doth not God declare he will deal very differently with him that hath Faith and him that hath no Faith he 'll justifie the one and still condemns the other And it 's the same as to any other Condition of any other promised Benefit The Condition is not that for which the Benefit is given but it renders the Man the Person to whom God hath promised to give that Benefit in Christ's right 11. All endeavours after Faith are endeavours after Justification and all neglects of Faith are neglects of Justification This is plain for if the Object of God's Justifying Act be the Believer then whatever tends to make him a Believer tends to bring him into a Justified State and whatever tends to hinder him to Believe tends to keep him out of a Justified State It 's the same as to all other Promises made to any Grace or Duty though all the Promises are made and performed in Christ's right Yet when he describes the person by any Grace â— Duty who shall receive the good promised we pursue that good promised by following after that Grace or Duty to which the Promise refers Therein we look to Christ's Righteousness with just Hope when we look to him in his Promise and follow that which he hath assured the Fruits of his Righteousness upon 12. God now doth and will hereafter more solemnly Judge Mens Faith and Men by their Faith as far as he hath made that Faith necessary to any Blessing 1. God says in his Gospel I will in and for Christ's Righteousness forgive him that Believes and no other yea all unbelievers shall be still condemned because they believe not Ioh. 3.16 19. Christ's Righteousness shall not be applied to them for Pardon And 2. If the Gospel hath described what this Faith in Truth is and warned us of all false Faith as vain and insufficient to our pardon Iam. 2.14 17. Gal. 5.6 if those two things be true Can you imagin 1. That God doth make no Judgment of that Faith whether it be true or false Are all sorts of Faith alike in his Account 〈◊〉 Dead Faith and a Living a feigned Faith â—â—d an unfeigned Faith Doth he give and execute the Pardon without any regard to their being such Believers as his Gospel appoints Surely he that says be watchful and strengthen the things that are ready to Die for I have not found thy Works perfect before God Rev. 3.2 doth distinguish between the Faith the Promise is made to and the Faith which the Promise is not made to nay which he threatens as Hypocritical 2. Or can you think that God makes no Judgment concerning a Man's Interest or no Interest in the promised Pardon with any regard to his having true Faith or his not having it The Question is not What Righteousness that Pardon is founded on for that is Christ's and the Pardon connotes it but the Question is Is this or that Man the Person to whom God hath promised to give that Pardon Doth it by that Promise belong to this Believer or that Unbeliever I ask then Will not God Judge this Man by having true Faith to be the very Man the Pardon by that Promise belongs to
enjoyed before his Incarnation but a Glory and Riches granted as to his Humane Nature which fully commenced upon his Exaltation though eternally decreed And to both indeed there was a Title from the Union of the Human Nature to the Divine Person and also as a Reward of what was suffered and done in the Human Nature 3. The utmost Glory belonging to or received by Christ as acquired was of another kind than what belonged to him as God and which he enjoyed before the Incarnation The â—ne is dependant the other independant the one is Creature Glory though above Angels the other is increated essential and divine even the same with the Father's Obj. Did not Christ lay by his Divine Glory A. 1. He could no more part with it no nor with the Enjoyment of it than he could part with his Divine Essence 2. He voluntarily agree'd to have it vailed as to Manifestation for a time but in the least quitted not the Enjoyment of it as the Son of God 3. The sensible Communications of it and of the Divine Favour were a while much suspended from the Humane Nature But considered as the Son of God he always alike possessed and perceived the Divine Glory and Favour The Father could as well be displeased with himself as with his Son as he was God 4. Hence though what Christ did and suffered did entitle him to the restoring of the sensible Enjoyments of the Divine Favour to the Humane Nature yet there was no Place or room for acquiring a Right to any sencible Communications of Love Riches or Glory to him as Son of God For they were never suspended they were essential to him and to suppose an acquired Right were to make that Love and Glory dependant and bring them within a Creatures State whereas you may see Christ in his humbled State still when he speaks as the Son of God asserting his Title and Possession in Equality with the Father yea to be the fame Ioh. 16.15 Ioh. 5.18 19 26. Ioh. 1.18 Reader judge how he honoureth Christ I could tell him what Names the Ancient Church gave to such a Heresie but I better like that he gives to my Opinion causlesly the name of Blasphemy than that I should give so just a Cause though I met with a Man so â—ld as should hope it was only ignorant The Son of God as God capable of an addition of real Glory and be the Object of God's Frowns and Displeasure and capable of parting with the enjoyment of God's Favour and the Glory and Riches he had before he was Incarnate and that he could have an acquired Right to that Essential Glory and Love and Riches superadded to his natural Right thereto are such Positions as should make a Man to tremble how he ventures afterwards to meddle beyond his depth My concern for these things prevents my using the advantage Mr. M. gives me 2. He describeth the Fall of Man in a manner very dishonourable to God 1. He makes it a designed necessary means resolved on to bring to the Son of God that Revenue of Honour and Praise which the Father had before designed for him This is fully expressed by him in his Model of the eternal Decrees The 1. Step is the Design of that Revenue of Glory to the Son 2. Step is Christ's being to do all for the Elect with God for them c. 3. Is making a Man innocent 4. Is the Fall of Man 5. The double Union issuing in legal and mystical Persons 6. Faith is the Means of mystical Union 7. This Faith in its Nature is to rest on Christ for all P. 58 59 60. The thing I infer is that the Fall being the Fourth Step must needs be not a thing supposed to the Fathers Design of the Revenue of Glory to Christ by some mens acknowledging him to be the Son for that 's first in order resolved and then the Fall appointed not over-ruled as a necessary means thereto as that by which he was to obtain this Glory and without which he must have gone without it and been limited to the privilege of his Birth Therefore he tells us P. 58. The Fall of the Elect into a state of Sin and Death and Wrath may seem somewhat remote from the point in hand But it is not for hereby a Door is opened to the Son of God to step in and do all with God for them that in this ruined condition they need c. So that as Christ speaks of the blindness of him Ioh. 9.3 that it was that the works of God might be made manifest in him we may say this of the Fall of the Elect it was in the Counsel of God designed to this end that the depths of the riches the knowledge of God might be manifest in them and as Christ speaks of Lazarus his sickness and dying it was not to death c. So must we say of this falling of the Elect into a state of spiritual death in sin and trespasses it is not unto Death for ever but for the Glory of God that the Son of God might be Glorified in recovering them Repl. I am sure the Son of God did not need any such Glory he had been as happy and perfectly Glorious as now he is though Man had stood 2. It seems very unagreeable to the purity and goodness of God to design the breaking of his own Laws the destroying of the greatest part of mankind the defacing of his own Image the gratifying of the Devil in the sin and misery of Men such dishonour to his own Name c. and this as a necessary means to Glorifie his Son to Decree the permission of the Fall and so to over-rule it to good ends is another thing 4. By this Model it was as impossible for Man to have stood or for the moâ—â— of Mankind to have avoided Sin and Eternal Ruin as it was for Man to have hindred God to give to his Son that special Revenue of Glory as he designed for him which I think would be a greater ease to the damned than their Consciences will feel or the Pleadings of God with Men will import 5. It greatly abates that admiring and thankful regard to God and our Saviour which the Scriptures always direct us to For if Mr. M's Model be right it was Love to the Son of God that brought Men to need a Saviour and not Love to Sinners that enclined God to give his Son and the Son to give him-self to be a Saviour Ioh. 3.16 The utmost which this Model can rise to is that since God resolved for the Glory of his Son that all should fall into a state of Sin and Death and Wrath that thereby some of them might be to his Glory they were ordained to be some of those which indeed is a mercy but not so greatly displaying of Divine Pity Love and Grace as the word represents it Therefore 6. to suppose Man foreseen as fallen and self-ruined and thereupon