Rule of all Inherent Moral or Spiritual Obedience What are the Works of the Law declared from the Scripture and the Argument thereby confirmed The nature of Justifying Faith further declared Pag. 400. CHAP. XV. Of Faith alone CHAP. XVI Testimonies of Scripture confirming the Doctrine of Justification by the Imputation of the Rightesness of Christ. Jere. 23.6 Explained and vindicated Pag. 419. CHAP. XVII Testimonies out of the Evangelists considered Design of our Saviours Sermon on the Mount The purity and penalty of the Law vindicated by him Arguments from thence Luk. 18.9 10 11 12 13. The Parable of the Pharisee and Publican explained and applied to the present Argument Testimonies out of the Gospel by John Chap. 3.14 15 16 17 18 c. Pag. 425. CHAP. XVIII Testimonies out of the Epistles of Paul the Apostle His design in the Fifth Chapter to the Romans That Design explained at large and applied to the present Argument Chap. 3.24 25 26. explained and the true sense of the words vindicated The Causes of Justification enumerated Apostolical Inferences from the consideration of them Chap. 4. Design of the Disputation of the Apostle therein Analysis of his Discourse Ver. 4 5. particularly insisted on their true sense vindicated What Works excluded from the Justification of Abraham Who it is that worketh not In what sense the ungodly are justified All Men ungodly antecedently unto their Justification Faith alone the means of Justification on our part Faith it self absolutely considered not the Righteousness that is imputed unto us Proved by sundry Arguments Pag. 431. Chap. 5. Ver. 12 13 14 15 16 17 18. Boasting excluded in our selves asserted in God The design and sum of the Apostles Argument Objection of Socinus removed Comparison between the two Adams and those that derive from them Sin entered into the World What Sin intended Death what it compriseth What intended by it The sense of those words in as much or in whom all have sinned cleared and vindicated The various oppositions used by the Apostle in this Discourse Principally between Sin or the Fall and the Free Gift Between the disobedience of the one and the obedience of another Judgment on the one hand and Justification unto Life on the other The whole Context at large explained and the Argument for Justification by the Imputation of the Righteousness of Christ fully confirmed P. 464. Chap. 10. V. 3 4. explained and insisted on to the same purpose Pag. 489. 1 Cor. 1.30 Christ how of God made Righteousness unto us Answer of Bellarmine unto this Testimony removed That of Socinus disproved True sense of the words evinced P. 497. 2 Cor. 5.21 In what sense Christ knew no sin Emphasis in that expression How he was made Sin for us By the Imputation of Sin unto him Mistakes of some about this expression Sense of the Antients Exception of Bellarmine unto this Testimony answered with other Reasonings of his to the same purpose P. 502. The Exceptions of others also removed Gal. 2.16 Pag. 513. Ephes. 2.8 9 10. Ephes. 2.8 9 10. Evidence of this Testemony Design of the Apostle from the beginning of the Chapter Method of the Apostle in the Declaration of the Grace of God Grace alone the cause of Deliverance from a State of Sin Things to be observed in the Assignation of the Causes of Spiritual Deliverance Grace how magnified by him Force of the Argument and evidence from thence State of the Case here proposed by the Apostle General determination of it By Grace ye are saved What it is to be saved inquired into The same as to be justified but not exclusively The causes of our Justification declared Positively and Negatively The whole secured unto the Grace of God by Christ and our Interest therein through Faith alone Works excluded What Works Not Works of the Law of Moses Not Works antecedent unto believing Works of true Believers Not only in opposition to the Grace of God but to Faith in us Argument from those words Reason whereon this exclusion of Works is founded To exclude Boasting on our part Boasting wherein it consists Inseparable from the Interest of Works in Justification Danger of it Confirmation of this Reason obviating an Objection The Objection stated If we be not justified by Works of what use are they answered Pag. 516. Phil. 3.8 9. Heads of Argument from this Testimony Design of the Context Righteousness the Foundation of Acceptance with God A twofold Righteousness considered by the Apostle Oppossite unto one another as unto the especial end inquired after Which of these he adhered unto his own Righteousness or the Righteousness of God declared by the Apostle with vehemency of speech Reasons of his earnestness herein The turning point whereon he left Judaism The opposition made unto this Doctrine by the Jews The weight of the Doctrine and unwillingness of Men to receive it His own sense of Sin and Grace Peculiar expressions used in this place for the Reasons mentioned concerning Christ. Concerning all things that are our own The choice to be made on the Case stated whether we will adhere unto our own Righteousness or that of Christs which are inconsistent as to the end of Justification Argument from this place Exceptions unto this Testimony and Argument from thence removed Our Personal Righteousness Inherent the same with respect unto the Law and Gospel External Righteousness only required by the Law an impious Imagination Works wrought before Faith only rejected The Exception removed Righteousness before Conversion not intended by the Apostle Pag. 256. CHAP. XIX Objections against the Doctrine of Justification by the Imputation of the Righteousness of Christ. Nature of these Objections Difficulty in discerning aright the sense of some Men in this Argument Justification by Works the end of all declension from the Righteousness of Christ. Objections against this Doctrine derived from a supposition thereof alone First principal Objection Imputed Righteousness overthrows the necessity of an holy Life This Objection as managed by them of the Church of Rome an open calumny How insisted on by some among our selves Socinus fierceness in this charge His foul dishonesty therein False charges on Mens opinions making way for the rash condemnation of their persons Iniquity of such censures The Objection rightly stated Sufficiently answered in the previous Discourses about the nature of Faith and force of Moral Law The nature and necessity of Evangelical Holiness elswhere pleaded Particular answers unto this Objection All who profess this Doctrine do not exemplifie it in their lives The most holy Truths have been abused None by whom this Doctrine is now denied exceed them in holiness by whom it was formerly professed and the power of it attested The contrary Doctrine not successful in the Reformation of the lives of Men. The best way to determine this difference The same Objection managed against the Doctrine of the Apostle in his own days Efficacious prejudices against this Doctrine in the minds of Men. The whole Doctrine of
denying or palliating of them lyeth the foundation of all mis-belief about the Grace of God Pelagianism in its first Root and all its present Branches is resolved thereinto For not apprehending the dread of our Original Apostacy from God nor the consequents of it in the universal Depravation of our Nature they disown any necessity either of the Satisfaction of Christ or the Efficacy of Divine Grace for our Recovery or Restauration So upon the matter the principal Ends of the Mission both of the Son of God and of the Holy Spirit are renounced which issues in the denial of the Deity of the one and the Personality of the other The Fall which we had being not great and the Disease contracted thereby being easily curable and there being little or no evil in these things which are now unavoidable unto our nature it is no great matter to be freed or justified from all by a meer act of Favour on our own Endeavours nor is the Efficacious Grace of God any way needful unto our Sanctification and Obedience as these men suppose Where these or the like conceits are admitted and the minds of men by them kept off from a due apprehension of the State and Guilt of sin and their Consciences from being affected with the terrour of the Lord and curse of the Law thereon Justification is a notion to be dealt withall pleasantly or subtilly as men see occasion And hence arise the Differences about it at present I mean those which are really such and not meerly the different ways whereby Learned men express their thoughts and apprehensions concerning it By some the Imputation of the actual Apostasie and Transgression of Adam the head of our nature whereby his sin became the sin of the world is utterly denied Hereby both the ground the Apostle proceedeth on in evincing the necessity of our Justification or our being made Righteous by the Obedience of another and all the Arguments brought in the Confirmation of the Doctrine of it in the fifth Chapter of his Epistle to the Romans are evaded and overthrown Socinus de Servator par 4. cap. 6. confesseth that place to give great countenance unto the Doctrine of Justification by the Imputation of the Righteousness of Christ. And therefore he sets himself to oppose with sundry Artifices the Imputation of the sin of Adam unto his natural posterity For he perceived well enough that upon the Admission thereof the Imputation of the Righteousness of Christ unto his spiritual seed would unavoidably follow according unto the Tenour of the Apostles Discourse Some deny the Depravation and Corruption of our Nature which ensued on our Apostasie from God and the loss of his Image Or if they do not absolutely deny it yet they so extenuate it as to render it a matter of no great concern unto us Some Disease and Distemper of the Soul they will acknowledge arising from the disorder of our Affections whereby we are apt to receive in such vitious habits and customs as are in practice in the world And as the Guilt hereof is not much so the danger of it is not great And as for any spiritual filth or stain of our nature that is in it it is clear washed away from all by Baptism That Deformity of Soul which came upon us in the loss of the Image of God wherein the Beauty and Harmony of all our faculties in all their Actings in order unto their utmost End did consist That Enmity unto God even in the mind which ensued thereon that Darkness which our Understandings were clouded yea blinded withall the Spiritual Death which passed on the whole Soul and total Alienation from the life of God that Impotency unto Good that Inclination unto Evil that Deceitfulness of sin that Power and Efficacy of corrupt Lusts which the Scripture and Experience so fully charge on the state of lost Nature are rejected as empty Notions or Fables No wonder if such Persons look upon Imputed Righteousness as the shadow of a Dream who esteem those things which evidence its necessity to be but fond imaginations And small hope is there to bring such men to value the Righteousness of Christ as imputed to them who are so unacquainted with their own unrighteousness inherent in them Until men know themselves better they will care very little to know Christ at all Against such as these the Doctrine of Justification may be defended as we are obliged to contend for the Faith once delivered unto the Saints and as the mouths of Gainsayers are to be stopped But to endeavour their satisfaction in it whilst they are under the power of such apprehensions is a vain Attempt As our Saviour said unto them unto whom he had declared the necessity of Regeneration if I have told you Earthly things and you believe not how shall ye believe if I tell you heavenly things so may we say if men will not believe those things whereof it would be marvellous but that the Reason of it is known that they have not an undeniable Evidence and Experience in themselves how can they believe those Heavenly mysteries which respect a supposition of that within themselves which they will not acknowledge Hence some are so far from any concernment in a perfect Righteousness to be imputed unto them as that they boast of a perfection in themselves So did the Pelagians of old glory of a sinless perfection in the sight of God even when they were convinced of sinful miscarriages in the sight of men as they are charged by Hierom lib. 2. Dialog and by Austin lib. 2. contra Julian cap. 8. Such persons are not Subjecta capacia auditionis Evangelicae Whilst men have no sense in their own Hearts and Consciences of the spiritual disorder of their Souls of the secret continual actings of sin with deceit and violence obstructing all that is good promoting all that is evil defiling all that is done by them through the lusting of the Flesh against the Spirit as contrary unto it though no outward perpetration of sin nor actual omission of Duty do ensue thereon who are not engaged in a constant watchful conflict against the first motions of sin unto whom they are not the greatest burden and sorrow in this life causing them to cry out for deliverance from them who can despise those who make acknowledgments in their confession unto God of their sense of these things with the Guilt wherewith they are accompanied will with an assured confidence reject and contemn what is offered about Justification through the Obedience and Righteousness of Christ imputed to us For no man will be so fond as to be solicitous of a Righteousness that is not his own who hath at home in a readiness that which is his own which will serve his turn It is therefore the ignorance of these things alone that can delude men into an apprehension of their Justification before God by their own personal Righteousness For if they were acquainted with them
believe is represented in the words of the Apostle He doth therefore use his utmost endeavor to wrest and deprave them And yet although most of his Artifices are since traduced into the Annotations of others upon the place he himself produceth nothing material but what is taken out of Origen and the Comment of Pelagius on this Epistle which is extant in the Works of Jerome and was urged before him by Erasmus The substance of what he pleads for is That the actual transgression of Adam is not imputed unto his posterity nor a depraved nature from thence communicated unto them Only whereas he had incurred the penalty of death all that derive their nature from him in that condition are rendred subject unto death also And as for that corruption of nature which is in us or a proneness unto sin it is not derived from Adam but is an habit contracted by many continued acts of our own So also on the other hand that the Obedience or Righteousness of Christ is not imputed unto us Only when we make our selves to become his Children by our obedience unto him he having obtained eternal life for himself by his obedience unto God we are made partakers of the benefits thereof This is the substance of his long Disputation on this subject De Servator lib. 4. cap. 6. But this is not to expound the words of the Apostle but expresly to contradict them as we shall see in the insuing consideration of them I intend not an Exposition of the whole discourse of the Apostle but only of those passages in it which evidently declare the way and manner of our Justification before God A comparison is here proposed and pursued between the First Adam by whom sin was brought into the World and the Second Adam by whom it is taken away And a comparison it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of things contrary wherein there is a similitude in some things and a dissimilitude in others both sorts illustrating the truth declared in it The general Proposition of it is contained in Ver. 12. As by one Man sin entred into the World and death by sin and so death passed on all Men for that all have sinned The entrance of sin and punishment into the World was by one Man and that by one sin as he afterward declares Yet were they not confined unto the person of that one Man but belonged equally unto all This the Apostle expresseth inverting the order of the Effect and Cause In the entrance of it he first mentions the cause or sin and then the effect or punishment By one Man sin entred into the World and Death by sin But in the Application of it unto all Men he expresseth first the effect and then the cause Death passed on all Men for that all had sinned Death on the first entrance of sin passed on all that is all Men became liable and obnoxious unto it as the punishment due to sin All Men that ever were are or shall be were not then existent in their own persons But yet were they all of them then upon the first entrance of sin made subject to death or liable unto punishment They were so by vertue of Divine Constitution upon their foederal existence in the one Man that sinned And actually they became obnoxious in their own persons unto the sentence of it upon their first natural existence being born children of wrath It is hence manifest what sin it is that the Apostle intends namely The actual sin of Adam the one sin of that one common person whilest he was so For although the corruption and depravation of our nature doth necessarily insue thereon in every one that is brought forth actually in the World by Natural Generation yet is it the guilt of Adams actual sin alone that rendred them all obnoxious unto death upon the First entrance of sin into the World So death entred by sin the guilt of it obnoxiousness unto it and that with respect unto all Men universally Death here compriseth the whole punishment due unto sin be it what it will concerning which we need not here to dispute The wages of sin is death Rom. 6.23 and nothing else Whatever sin deserves in the Justice of God whatever punishment God at any time appointed or threatned unto it it is comprised in death In the day thou eatest thereof thou shalt die the death This therefore the Apostle lays down as the foundation of his discourse and of the comparison which he intends namely that in and by the actual sin of Adam all Men are made liable unto death or unto the whole punishment due unto sin That is the guilt of that sin is imputed unto them For nothing is intended by the imputation of sin unto any but the rendring them justly obnoxious unto the punishment due unto that sin As the not imputing of sin is the freeing of Men from being subject or liable unto punishment And this sufficiently evidenceth the vanity of the Pelagian Gloss that Death passed upon all meerly by vertue of natural propagation from him who had deserved it without any imputation of the guilt of sin unto them which is a contradiction unto the plain words of the Apostle For it is the guilt of sin and not natural propagation that he affirms to be the cause of Death Having mentioned sin and death the one as the only cause of the other the guilt of sin of the punishment of death sin deserving nothing but death and death being due unto nothing but sin he declares how all Men universally became liable unto this punishment or guilty of death 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in quo omnes peccaverunt in whom all have sinned For it relates unto the one Man that sinned in whom all sinned which is evident from the effect thereof in as much as in him all died 1 Cor. 15.22 Or as it is here on his sin Death passed on all Men. And this is the evident sense of the words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 being put for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is not unusual in the Scripture See Matth. 15.5 Rom. 4.18 Chap. 5.2 Phil. 1.3 Heb. 9.17 And it is so often used by the best Writers in the Greek Tongue So Hesiod 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 modus in omnibus rebus optimus So 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in vobis situm est 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hoc in me situm est And this reading of the words is contended for by Austine against the Pelagians rejecting their eo quod or propterea But I shall not contend about the reading of the words It is the artifice of our adversaries to perswade Men that the force of our Argument to prove from hence the imputation of the sin of Adam unto his posterity doth depend solely upon this interpretation of these words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by in whom We shall therefore grant them their desire that they are better rendred by eo quod propterea or quatenus
in as much because Only we must say that here is a reason given Why Death passed on all Men in as much as all have sinned that is in that sin whereby death entred into the World It is true Death by vertue of the original constitution of the Law is due unto every sin when ever it is committed But the present inquiry is how Death passed at once on all Men how they came liable and obnoxious unto it upon its first entrance by the actual sin of Adam which cannot be by their own actual sin Yea the Apostle in the next Verses affirms That death passed on them also who never sinned actually or as Adam did whose sin was actual And if the actual sins of Men in imitation of Adams sin were intended then should Men be made liable to Death before they had sinned For Death upon its first entrance into the World passed on all Men before any one Man had actually sinned but Adam only But that Men should be liable unto Death which is nothing but the punishment of sin when they have not sinned is an open contradiction For although God by his sovereign Power might inflict Death on an innocent Creature yet that an innocent Creature should be guilty of death is impossible For to be guilty of death is to have sinned Wherefore this expression In as much as all have sinned expressing the desert and guilt of death then when sin and death first entred into the World no sin can be intended in it but the sin of Adam and our interest therein Eramus enim omnes ille unus homo And this can be no otherwise but by the imputation of the guilt of that sin unto us For the act of Adam not being ours inherently and subjectively we cannot be concerned in its Effect but by the imputation of its guilt For the communication of that unto us which is not inherent in us is that which we intend by imputation This is the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the intended collation which I have insisted the longer on because the Apostle lays in it the foundation of all that he afterwards infers and asserts in in the whole comparison And here some say there is an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in his discourse that is he layeth down the Proposition on the part of Adam but doth not shew what answereth to it on the contrary in Christ. And Origen gives the reason of the silence of the Apostle herein namely Lest what is to be said therein should be abused by any unto sloth and negligence For whereas he says 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as which is a note of similitude By one Man sin entred into the World and Death by sin so the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or reddition should be So by one Righteousness entred into the World and Life by Righteousness This he acknowledgeth to be the genuine filling up of the comparison but was not expressed by the Apostle Lest Men should abuse it unto negligence or security supposing that to be done already which should be done afterwards But as this plainly contradicts and everts most of what he further asserts in the Exposition of the place so the Apostle concealed not any Truth upon such considerations And as he plainly expresseth that which is here intimated Ver. 19. So he shews how foolish and wicked any such imaginations are as suppose that any countenance is given hereby unto any to indulge themselves in their sins Some grant therefore that the Apostle doth conceal the Expression of what is ascribed unto Christ in opposition unto what he had affirmed of Adam and his sin unto Ver. 19. But the truth is it is sufficiently included in the close of Ver. 14. where he affirms of Adam that in those things whereof he treats He was the Figure of him that was to come For the way and manner whereby he introduced Righteousness and Life and communicated them unto Men answered the way and manner whereby Adam introduced sin and death which passed on all the World Adam being the Figure of Christ look how it was with him with respect unto his Natural Posterity as unto sin and death so it is with the Lord Christ the Second Adam and his Spiritual Posterity with respect unto Righteousness and Life Hence we argue If the actual sin of Adam was so imputed unto all his posterity as to be accounted their own sin unto condemnation then is the actual obedience of Christ the Second Adam imputed unto all his Spiritual Seed that is unto all Believers unto Justification I shall not here further press this Argument because the ground of it will occur unto us afterwards The two next Verses containing an Objection and an Answer returned unto them wherein we have no immediate concernment I shall pass by Vers. 15 16. The Apostle proceeds to explain his Comparison in those things wherein there is a dissimilitude between the comparates But not as the offence so is the free gift for if through the offence of one many be dead much more the Grace of God and the gift by Grace by one Man Jesus Christ hath abounded unto many The opposition is between 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 on the one hand and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 on the other between which a dissimilitude is asserted not as unto their opposite effects of Death and Life but only as unto the degrees of their efficacy with respect unto those effects 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the offence the fall the sin the transgression that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the disobedience of one Ver. 19. Hence the first sin of Adam is generally called the fall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That which is opposed hereunto is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Donum Donum gratuitum Beneficium id quod Deus gratificatur that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as it is immediately explained The grace of God and the free gift by grace through Jesus Christ. Wherefore although this word in the next verse doth precisely signifie the Righteousness of Christ yet here it comprehends all the causes of our Justification in opposition unto the fall of Adam and the entrance of sin thereby The consequent and effect 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the offence the fall is that many be dead No more is here intended by many but only that the effects of that one offence were not confined unto one And if we inquire who or how many those many are the Apostle tells us that they are all Men universally that is all the posterity of Adam By this one offence because they all sinned therein they are all dead that is rendered obnoxious and liable unto death as the punishment due unto that one offence And hence also it appears how vain it is to wrest those words of Ver. 12. In as much as all have sinned unto any other sin but the first sin in Adam seeing it is given as the reason why death passed on them it being here plainly affirmed That they
are dead or that death passed on them by that one offence The efficacy 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the free gift opposed hereunto is expressed as that which abounded much more Besides the thing it self asserted which is plain and evident the Apostle seems to me to argue the equity of our Justification by Grace through the obedience of Christ by comparing it with the condemnation that befel us by the sin and disobedience of Adam For if it were just meet and equal that all Men should be made subject unto condemnation for the sin of Adam it is much more so that those who believe should be justified by the obedience of Christ through the grace and free donation of God But wherein in particular the gift by Grace abounded unto many above the efficacy of the fall to condemn he declares afterwards And that whereby we are freed from condemnation more eminently then we are made obnoxious unto it by the fall and sin of Adam by that alone we are justified before God But this is by the grace of God and the gift by Grace through Jesus Christ alone which we plead for Ver. 16. Another difference between the comparates is expressed or rather the instance is given in particular of the dissimilitude asserted in general before And not as it was by one that sinned so is the gift for the judgment was by one to condemnation but the free gift is of many offences unto Justification 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 By one that sinned is the same with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by one sin one offence the one sin of that one Man 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 we render judgment Most Interpreters do it by reatus guilt or crimen which is derived from it So 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Judicium is used in the Hebrew for guilt 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Jere. 26.11 The judgment of death is to this Man this Man is guilty of death hath deserved to die First therefore there was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the sin the fall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of one Man that sinned it was his actual sin alone Thence followed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 reatus guilt this was common unto all In and by that one sin guilt came upon all And the end hereof that which it rendered Men obnoxious unto is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 condemnation guilt unto condemnation and this guilt unto condemnation which came upon all was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of one person or sin This is the order of things on the part of Adam 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the one sin 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the guilt that thereon insued unto all 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the condemnation which that guilt deserved And their Antitheta or Opposites in the Second Adam are 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the free donation of God 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the gift of Grace it self or the Righteousness of Christ. 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Justification of Life But yet though the Apostle doth thus distinguish these things to illustrate his comparison and opposition yet that which he intends by them all is the Righteousness and Obedience of Christ as he declares Ver. 18 19. This in the matter of our Justification he 1. calleth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with respect unto the free gratuitous grant of it by Grace of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with respect unto us who receive it A free gift it is unto us and 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with respect unto its effect of making us righteous Whereas therefore by the sin of Adam imputed unto them guilt came on all men unto condemnation we must inquire wherein the free gift was otherwise Not as by one that sinned so was the gift And it was so in two things For 1. Condemnation came upon all by one offence But being under the guilt of that one offence we contract the guilt of many more innumerable Wherefore if the free gift had respect only unto that one offence and intended it self no further we could not be delivered wherefore it is said to be of many offences that is of all our sins and trespasses whatever 2. Adam and all his posterity in him were in a state of acceptation with God and placed in a way of obtaining eternal life and blessedness wherein God himself would have been their reward In this estate by the entrance of sin they lost the favor of God and incurred the guilt of death or condemnation for they are the same But they lost not an immediate right and title unto life and blessedness For this they had not nor could have before the course of obedience prescribed unto them was accomplished That therefore which came upon all by the one offence was the loss of Gods favor in the approbation of their present state and the judgment or guilt of death and condemnation But an immediate right unto eternal life by that one sin was not lost The free gift is not so For as by it we are freed not only from one sin but from all our sins so also by it we have a right and title unto eternal life For therein Grace reigns through Righteousness unto eternal life Ver. 22. The same truth is further explained and confirmed Ver. 17. For if by one Mans offence death reigned by one much more they which receive abundance of Grace and of the gift of Righteousness shall reign in life by one Jesus Christ. The design of the Apostle having been sufficiently manifested in our observations on the former Verses I shall from this only observe those things which more immediately concern our present subject And 1. it is worth observation with what variety of expressions the Apostle sets forth the Grace of God in the Justification of Believers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Nothing is omitted that may any way express the freedom sufficiency and efficacy of Grace unto that end And although these terms seem some of them to be coincident in their signification and to be used by him promiscuously yet do they every one include something that is peculiar and all of them set forth the whole work of Grace 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 seems to me to be used in this Argument for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is the foundation of a cause in tryal the matter pleaded whereon the person tried is to be acquitted and justified And this is the Righteousness of Christ of one 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or a free donation is exclusive of all desert and conditions on our part who do receive it And it is that whereby we are freed from condemnation and have a right unto the Justification of life 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is the free grace and favor of God which is the original or efficient cause of our Justification as was declared Chap. 3.24 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hath been explained before 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the abundance of
come upon them unto condemnation no otherwise can they be rendered obnoxious unto death and judgment on the account thereof For we have evinced that by death and condemnation in this disputation of the Apostle the whole punishment due unto sin is intended This therefore is plain and evident on that hand In answer hereunto the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of one as to the causality of Justification is opposed unto the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the other as unto its causality unto or of condemnation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 By the Righteousness of one That is the Righteousness that is pleadable 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 unto Justification For that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Righteousness pleaded for Justification By this say our Translators the free gift came upon all repeating 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from the foregoing Verse as they had done 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 before on the other hand The Syriack Translation renders the words without the aid of any supplement Therefore as by the sin of one condemnation was unto all men so by the Righteousness of one Justification unto life shall be unto all Men. And the sense of the words is so made plain without the supply of any other word into the Text. But whereas in the original the words are not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and so in the later clause somewhat from his own foregoing words is to be supplied to answer the intention of the Apostle And this is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 gratiosa donatio the free grant of Righteousness or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the free gift of Righteousness unto Justification The Righteousness of one Christ Jesus is freely granted unto all Believers to the Justification of life For the all Men here mentioned are described by and limited unto them that receive the abundance of Grace and the gift of Righteousness by Christ Ver. 17. Some vainly pretend from hence a general grant of righteousness and life unto all men whereof the greatest part are never made partakers then which nothing can be more opposite nor contradictory unto the Apostles design Men are not made guilty of condemnation from the Sin of Adam by such a Divine constitution as that they may or on some conditions may not be obnoxious thereunto Every one so soon as he actually exists and by vertue thereof is a descendant from the first Adam is actually in his own person liable thereunto and the wrath of God abideth on him And no more are intended on the other side but those only who by their relation through Faith unto the Lord Christ the second Adam are actually interessed in the Justification of life Neither is the controversie about the universality of Redemption by the Death of Christ herein concerned For those by whom it is asserted do not affirm that it is thence necessary that the free gift unto the Justification of life should come on all for that they know it doth not do And of a provision of Righteousness and life for men in case they do believe although it be true yet nothing is spoken in this place Only the certain Justificatin of them that believe and the way of it is declared Nor will the Analogy of the Comparison here insisted on admit of any such interpretation For the all on the one hand are all and only those who derive their being from Adam by natural propagation If any man might be supposed not to do so he would not be concerned in his Sin or Fall And so really it was with the man Christ Jesus And those on the other hand are only those who derive a spiritual life from Christ. Suppose a man not to do so and he is no way interessed in the Righteousness of the one unto the Justification of life Our Argument from the words is this As the Sin of one that came on all unto condemnation was the Sin of the first Adam imputed unto them so the Righteousness of the one unto the Justification of life that comes on all Believers is the Righteousness of Christ imputed unto them And what can be more clearly affirmed or more evidently confirmed than this is by the Apostle I know not Yet is it more plainly expressed v. 19. For as by one mans Disobedience many were made Sinners so by the Obedience of one shall many be made Righteous This is well explained by Cyrillus Alexandrinus in Joan. Lib. 11. Cap. 25. Quemadmodum praevaricatione primi hominis ut in primitiis generis nostri morti addicti fuimus eodem modo per obedientiam justitiam Christi in quantum seipsum legi subjecit quamvis legis author esset benedictio vivificatio quae per spiritum est ad totam nostram penetravit naturam And by Leo. Epist. 12. ad Juvenalem Vt autem reparet omnium vitam recepit omnium causam ut sicut per unius reatum omnes facti fuerunt peccatores ita per unius innocentiam omnes fierent innocentes inde in homines manaret justitia ubi est humana suscepta natura That which he before called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he now expresseth by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Disobedience and Obedience The 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of Adam or his Disobedience was his actual transgression of the Law of God Hereby saith the Apostle many were made Sinners Sinners in such a sense as to be obnoxious unto Death and Condemnation For liable unto Death they could not be made unless they were first made Sinners or guilty And this they could not be but that they are esteemed to have sinned in him whereon the guilt of his Sin was imputed unto them This therefore he affirms namely that the actual sin of Adam was so the sin of all men as that they were made sinners thereby obnoxious unto Death and Condemnation That which he opposeth hereunto is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Obedience of one that is of Jesus Christ. And this was the Actual Obedience that he yielded unto the whole Law of God For as the Disobedience of Adam was his actual Transgression of the whole Law so the Obedience of Christ was his actual accomplishment or fulfilling of the whole Law This the Antithesis doth require Hereby many are made Righteous How By the Imputation of that Obedience unto them For so and no otherwise are men made Sinners by the Imputation of the Disobedience of Adam And this is that which gives us a right and title unto eternal life as the Apostle declares vers 21. That as Sin reigned unto death so might Grace reign through Righteousness unto eternal life This Righteousness is no other but the Obedience of one that is of Christ as it is called vers 18. And it is said to come upon us that is to be imputed unto us For blessed is the man unto whom God imputeth Righteousness And hereby we have not only deliverance from
and Grace And this is that which principally we are to consider in our Justification the glory of them being the end of God therein He made us accepted in the Beloved to the praise of the glory of his Grace Ephes. 1.6 Wherefore this being the fountain spring and sole cause both of the Obedience of Christ and of the Imputation thereof unto us with the pardon of Sin and Righteousness thereby it is every where in the Scripture proposed as the prime object of our Faith in our Justification and opposed directly unto all our own Works whatever The whole of Gods design herein is that Grace may reign through Righteousness unto eternal life Whereas therefore this is made most evident and conspicuous in the Death of Christ our Justification is in a peculiar manner assigned thereunto 2. The love of Christ himself and his Grace are peculiarly exalted in our Justification that all men may honour the Son even as they honour the Father Frequently are they expressed unto this purpose 2 Cor. 8.9 Gal. 2.20 Phil. 3.6 7. Rev. 1.5 6. And those also are most eminently exalted in his death so as that all the effects and fruits of them are ascribed thereunto in a peculiar manner As nothing is more ordinary than among many things that concur to the same effect to ascribe it unto that which is most eminent among them especially if it cannot be conceived as separated from the rest 3. This is the clearest Testimony that what the Lord Christ did and suffered was for us and not for himself For without the consideration hereof all the Obedience which he yielded unto the Law might be looked on as due only on his own account and himself to have been such a Saviour as the Socinians imagine who should do all with us from God and nothing with God for us But the suffering of the curse of the Law by him who was not only an innocent man but also the Son of God openly testifies that what he did and suffered was for us and not for himself It is no wonder therefore if our Faith as unto Justification be in the first place and principally directed unto his Death and Blood-shedding 4. All the Obedience of Christ had still respect unto the Sacrifice of himself which was to ensue wherein it received its accomplishment and whereon its efficacy unto our Justification did depend For as no Imputation of actual Obedience would justifie Sinners from the condemnation that was passed on them for the Sin of Adam so although the Obedience of Christ was not a meer preparation or qualification of his person for his Suffering yet its efficacy unto our Justification did depend on his Suffering that was to ensue when his Soul was made an offering for Sin 5. As was before observed Reconciliation and the Pardon of Sin through the Blood of Christ do directly in the first place respect our relief from the state and condition whereinto we were cast by the Sin of Adam in the loss of the favour of God and liableness unto Death this therefore is that which principally and in the first place a lost convinced Sinner such as Christ calls unto himself doth look after And therefore Justification is eminently and frequently proposed as the effect of the Bloodshedding and Death of Christ which are the direct cause of our Reconciliation and Pardon of Sin But yet from none of these considerations doth it follow that the Obedience of the one man Christ Jesus is not imputed unto us whereby Grace might reign through Righteousness unto eternal life The same Truth is fully asserted and confirmed Chap. 8. v. 1 2 3 4. But this place hath been of late so explained and so vindicated by another in his learned and Judicious Exposition of it namely Dr. Jacombe as that nothing remains of weight to be added unto what hath been pleaded and argued by him Part. 1. vers 4. pag. 587. and onwards And indeed the answers which he subjoyns to the Arguments whereby he confirms the Truth to the most usual and important objections against the Imputation of the Righteousness of Christ are sufficient to give just Satisfaction unto the minds of unprejudiced unengaged persons I shall therefore pass over this Testimony as that which hath been so lately pleaded and vindicated and not press the same things it may be as is not unusual unto their disadvantage Chap. 10. Vers. 3 4. For they the Jews who had a zeal for God but not according to knowledg being ignorant of Gods Righteousness and going about to establish their own Righteousness have not submitted themselves unto the Righteousness of God For Christ is the end of the Law for Righteousness unto every one that believeth What is here determined the Apostle enters upon the Proposition and declaration of Chap. 9. vers 30. And because what he had to propose was somewhat strange and unsuited unto the common apprehensions of men he introduceth it with that prefatory Interrogation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which he useth on the like occasions Chap. 3.5 Chap. 6.1 Chap. 7.7 Chap. 9.14 What shall we then say that is is there in this matter unrighteousness with God as vers 14. or what shall we say unto these things or this is that which is to be said herein That which hereon he asserts is that the Gentiles which followed not after Righteousness have attained unto Righteousness even the Righteousness which is of Faith But Israel which followed after the Law of Righteousness hath not attained unto the Law of Righteousness that is unto Righteousness it self before God Nothing seems to be more contrary unto reason than what is here made manifest by the event The Gentiles who lived in Sin and Pleasures not once endeavouring to attain unto any Righteousness before God yet attained unto it upon the Preaching of the Gospel Israel on the other hand which followed after Righteousness diligently in all the Works of the Law and Duties of Obedience unto God thereby came short of it attained not unto it All Preparations all Dispositions all merit as unto Righteousness and Justification are excluded from the Gentiles For in all of them there is more or less a following after Righteousness which is denied of them all Only by Faith in him who justifieth the ungodly they attain Righteousness or they attained the Righteousness of Faith For to attain Righteousness by Faith and to attain the Righteousness which is of Faith are the same Wherefore all things that are comprized any way in following after Righteousness such as are all our Duties and Works are excluded from any influence into our Justification And this is expressed to declare the Sovereignty and freedom of the Grace of God herein Namely that we are justified freely by his Grace and that on our part all boasting is excluded Let men pretend what they will and dispute what they please those who attain unto Righteousness and Justification before God when they follow not after Righteousness they
have made some undue Assumptions on his own behalf The Question was now reduced unto this on what Grounds he might or could be justified in the sight of God To prepare his mind unto a right Judgement in this case God manifests his Glory unto him and instructs him in the Greatness of His Majesty and Power And this he doth by a multiplication of Instances because under our Temptations we are very slow in admitting right conceptions of God Here the Holy man quickly acknowledged that the state of the case was utterly altered All his former pleas of Faith Hope and Trust in God of sincerity in Obedience which with so much earnestness he before insisted on are now quite laid aside He saw well enough that they were not pleadable at the Tribunal before which he now appeared so that God should enter into Judgment with him thereon with respect unto his Justification Wherefore in the deepest self-abasement and abhorrency he betakes himself unto Soveraign Grace and Mercy For then Job answered the Lord and said behold I am vile what shall I answer thee I will lay mine hand upon my mouth once have I spoken but I will not answer yea twice but I will proceed no farther Job 40.3 4 5 And again Hear I beseech thee and I will speak I will demand of thee and declare thou unto me I have heard of thee by the hearing of the Ear but now mine Eye seeth thee wherefore I abhor my self and repent in dust and ashes chap. 42.4 5 6. Let any men place themselves in the Condition wherein now Job was in the immediate presence of God Let them attend unto what he really speaks unto them in his word namely what they will answer unto the Charge that he hath against them and what will be their best plea before his Tribunal that they may be Justified I do not believe that any man living hath more encouraging Grounds to plead for an interest in his own Faith and Obedience in his Justification before God then Job had although I suppose he had not so much skill to manage a plea to that purpose with Scholastick notions and distinctions as the Jesuits have But however we may be harnessed with subtile Arguments and Solutions I fear it will not be safe for us to adventure farther upon God then he durst to do There was of old a Direction for the visitation of the Sick composed as they say by Anselm and published by Casparus Vlenhergius which expresseth a better sense of these things then some seem to be convinced of Credisne te non posse salvari nisi per mortem Christi Respondet infirmus Etiam tum dicit illi Age Ergo dum superest in te anima in hac sola morte fiduciam tuam constitue in nulla alia re fiduciam habe huic morti te totum committe hac sola te totum contege totum immisce te in hac morte in hac morte totum te involve Et si Dominus te voluerit judicare Dic Domine mortem Domini nostri Jesu Christi objicio inter me tuum Judicium aliter tecum non contendo Et si tibi dixerit quia peccator es dic mortem Domini nostri Jesu Christi pono inter me peccata mea Si dixerit tibi quod meruisti damnationem dic Domine mortem Domini nostri Jesu Christi obtendo inter te mala merita mea ipsiusque merita offero pro merito quod ego debuissem habere nec habeo si dixerit quod tibi est iratus dic Domine mortem Domini Jesu Christi oppono inter me iram tuam That is Dost thou believe that thou canst not be saved but by the death of Christ The sick man answereth yes then let it be said unto him Go to then and whilst thy Soul abideth in thee put all thy confidence in this death alone place thy trust in no other thing commit thy self wholly to this Death cover thy self wholly with this alone cast thy self wholly on this Death wrap thy self wholly in this Death And if God would judge thee say Lord I place the Death of our Lord Jesus Christ between me and thy judgment and otherwise I will not contend or enter into Judgment with thee And if he shall say unto thee that thou art a sinner say I place the Death of our Lord Jesus Christ between me and my sins If he shall say unto thee that thou hast deserved damnation say Lord I put the Death of our Lord Jesus Christ between thee and all my sins and I offer his merits for my own which I should have and have not If he say that he is angry with thee say Lord I place the Death of our Lord Jesus Christ between me and thy Anger Those who gave these Directions seem to have been sensible of what it is to appear before the Tribunal of God and how unsafe it will be for us there to insist on any thing in our selves Hence are the words of the same Anselm in his Meditations Conscientia mea meruit damnationem penitentia mea non sufficit ad satisfactionem sed certum est quod misericordia tua superat omnem offensionem My Conscience hath deserved damnation and my Repentance is not sufficient for satisfaction but most certain it is that thy mercy aboundeth above all offence And this seems to me a better Direction then those more lately given by some of the Roman Church Such is the prayer suggested unto a sick man by Johan Polandus lib. Methodus in adjuvandis morientibus Domine Jesu conjunge obsecro obsequium meum cum omnibus quae tu egisti passus es ex tam perfecta Charitate Obedientia Et cum divitiis satisfactionum meritorum Dilectionis Patri aeterno illud offerre digneris Or that of a greater Author Antidot Animae fol. 17. Tu hinc o rosea Martyrum turba offer pro me nunc in hora mortis meae merita fidelitatum constantiae pretiosi sanguinis cum sanguine Agni immaculati pro omnium salute effust Hierom long before Anselm spake to the same purpose Cum dies Judicij aut dormitionis advenerit omnes manus dissolventur quibus dicitur in alio loco confortamini manus dissolutae dissolventur auntem manus quia nullum opus dignum Dei justitia reperiatur non justificabitur in conspectu ejus omnis vivens unde Propheta dicit in Psalmo si iniquitates attendas Domine quis sustinebit lib. 6. in Isa. in cap. 13. v. 6 7. When the day of Judgement or of Death shall come all hands will be dissolved that is faint or fall down unto which it is said in another place be strengthened ye hands that hang down But all hands shall be melted down that is all mens strength and confidence shall fail them because no works shall be found which can answer the Righteousness of God for no flesh shall be
sympathy in the same body seeing that being the Word of God he would take the form of a Servant and be joyned unto the common habitation of us all in the same nature took the sorrows or labours of the suffering members on him and made all their Infirmities his own and according to the Laws of humanity in the same body bare our sorrow and labour for us And the Lamb of God did not only these things for us but he underwent torments and was punished for us that which he was no ways exposed unto for himself but we were so by the multitude of our sins and thereby he became the cause of the pardon of our sins namely because he underwent Death Stripes Reproaches translating the thing which we had deserved unto himself and was made a Curse for us taking unto himself the Curse that was due to us For what was he but a substitute for us a price of Redemption for our Souls In our person therefore the Oracle speaks whilst freely uniting himself unto us and us unto himself and making our sins or passions his own I have said Lord be merciful unto me heal my Soul for I have sinned against thee That our sins were transferred unto Christ and made his that thereon he underwent the punishment that was due unto us for them and that the Ground hereof whereinto its Equity is resolved is the Vnion between him and us is fully declared in this Discourse So saith the Learned and Pathetical Author of the Homilies on Math. 5. in the works of Chrysostom Hom. 54. which is the last of them In carne sua omnem carnem suscepit crucifixus omnem carnem crucifixit in se. He speaks of the Church So they speak often others of them that he bare us that he took us with him on the Cross that we were all crucified in him as Prospher He is not saved by the Cross of Christ who is not crucified in Christ. Resp. ad cap. Gal. cap. 9. This then I say is the Foundation of the Imputation of the sins of the Church unto Christ namely that he and it are one Person the Grounds whereof we must enquire into But hereon sundry Discourses do ensue and various Enquiries are made What a Person is in what sense and how many senses that word may be used what is the true notion of it what is a natural Person what a legal civil or political Person in the Explication whereof some have fallen into mistakes And if we should enter into this Field we need not fear matter enough of debate and altercation But I must needs say that these things belong not unto our present occasion nor is the Union of Christ and the Church illustrated but obscured by them For Christ and Believers are neither one natural Person nor a legal or political Person nor any such Person as the Laws Customs or Usages of men do know or allow of They are one mystical Person whereof although there may be some imperfect Resemblances found in natural or political Unions yet the Union from whence that Denomination is taken between him and us is of that nature and ariseth from such Reasons and Causes as no Personal Vnion among men or the Vnion of many persons hath any concernment in And therefore as to the Representation of it unto our weak understandings unable to comprehend the depth of Heavenly mysteries it is compared unto Vnions of divers kinds and natures So is it represented by that of Man and Wife not unto those mutual affections which give them only a moral Vnion but from the extraction of the first Woman from the flesh and bone of the first man and the Institution of God for the Individual Society of Life thereon This the Apostle at large declares Ephes. 5.25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32. Whence he concludes that from the Union thus represented we are members of his Body of his flesh and of his bone ver 30. or have such a Relation unto him as Eve had to Adam when she was made of his flesh and bone and so was one flesh with him So also it is compared unto the Union of the Head and Members of the same natural Body 1 Cor. 12.12 and unto a political Vnion also between a Ruling or political Head and its political Members but never exclusively unto the Union of a natural Head and its Members comprized in the same Expression Ephes. 4.15 Col. 2.19 And so also unto sundry things in nature as a Vine and its Branches Joh. 15.1 2 3. And it is declared by the Relation that was between Adam and his posterity by Gods Institution and the Law of Creation Rom. 5.12 c. And the Holy Ghost by representing the Union that is between Christ and Believers by such a variety of Resemblances in things agreeing only in the common or general notion of Vnion on various Grounds doth sufficiently manifest that it is not of nor can be reduced unto any one kind of them And this will yet be made more evident by the consideration of the Causes of it and the Grounds whereinto it is resolved But whereas it would require much time and diligence to handle them at large which the mention of them here being occasional will not admit I shall only briefly refer unto the Heads of them 1. The first spring or cause of this Vnion and of all the other causes of it lieth in that eternal compact that was between the Father and the Son concerning the Recovery and Salvation of fallen mankind Herein among other things as the effects thereof the Assumption of our nature the foundation of this Union was designed The nature and terms of this Compact Counsel and Agreement I have declared elsewhere and therefore must not here again insist upon it But the Relation between Christ and the Church proceeding from hence and so being an effect of infinite Wisdom in the Counsel of the Father and Son to be made effectual by the Holy Spirit must be distinguished from all other Vnions or Relations whatever 2. The Lord Christ as unto the nature which he was to assume was hereon predestinated unto Grace and Glory He was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fore-ordained predestinated before the foundation of the World 1 Pet. 1.20 That is he was so as unto his Office so unto all the Grace and Glory required thereunto and consequent thereon All the Grace and Glory of the Humane Nature of Christ was an effect of free Divine preordination God chose it from all Eternity unto a participation of all which it received in time Neither can any other cause of the Glorious Exaltation of that portion of our nature be assigned 3. This Grace and Glory whereunto he was preordained was twofold 1 That which was peculiar unto himself 2 That which was to be Communicated by and through him unto the Church Of the first sort was the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Grace of Personal Vnion that single effect of Divine Wisdom whereof
that Death and Condemnation whereunto we were liable by the Sin of Adam but the Pardon of many Offences that is of all our Personal Sins and a right unto life eternal through the Grace of God for we are justified freely by his Grace through the Redemption that is in Christ Jesus And these things are thus plainly and fully delivered by the Apostle unto whose sense and expressions also so far as may be it is our Duty to accommodate ours What is offered in opposition hereunto is so made up of Exceptions and Evasions perplexed Disputes and leadeth us so far off from the plain words of the Scripture that the Conscience of a convinced Sinner knows not what to fix upon to give it rest and saisfaction nor what it is that is to be believed unto Justification Piscator in his Scholia on this Chapter and elsewhere insisteth much on a specious Argument against the Imputation of the Obedience of Christ unto our Justification But it proceedeth evidently on an open mistake and false supposition as well as it is contradictory unto the plain words of the Text. It is true which he observes and proves that our Redemption Reconciliation Pardon of Sin and Justifiation are often ascribed unto the Death and Blood of Christ in a signal manner The reasons of it have partly been intimated before and a further account of them shall be given immediately But it doth not thence follow that the Obedience of his life wherein he fulfilled the whole Law being made under it for us is excluded from any causality therein or is not imputed unto us But in opposition thereunto he thus argueth Si obedientia vitae Christi nobis ad justitiam imputaretur non fuit opus Christum pro nobis mori mori enim necesse fuit pro nobis injustis 1 Pet. 3.18 Quod si ergo justi effecti sumus per vitam illius causa nulla relicta fuit cur pro nobis moreretur quia justitia Dei non patitur ut puniat justos At punivit nos in Christo seu quod idem valet punivit Christum pro nobis loco nostri posteaquam ille sancte vixisset ut certum est è Scriptura Ergo non sumus justi effecti per sanctam vitam Christi Item Christus mortuus est ut justitiam illam Dei nobis acquireret 2 Cor. 5.21 Non igitur illam acquisiverat ante mortem But this whole Argument I say proceeds upon an evident mistake For it supposeth such an order of things as that the Obedience of Christ or his Righteousness in fulfilling the Law is first imputed unto us and then the Righteousness of his death is afterwards to take place or to be imputed unto us which on that supposition he says would be of no use But no such order or Divine constitution is pleaded or pretended in our Justification It is true the life of Christ and his Obedience unto the Law did precede his Sufferings and undergoing the curse thereof neither could it otherwise be For this order of these things between themselves was made necessary from the Law of Nature But it doth not thence follow that it must be observed in the Imputation or Application of them unto us For this is an effect of Soveraign Wisdom and Grace not respecting the natural order of Christs Obedience and Suffering but the moral order of the things whereunto they are appointed And although we need not assert nor do I so do different acts of the Imputation of the Obedience of Christ unto the Justification of life or a right and title unto life eternal and of the suffering of Christ unto the pardon of our Sins and freedom from condemnation but by both we have both according unto the Ordinance of God that Christ may be all in all Yet as unto the effects themselves in the Method of Gods bringing Sinners unto the Justification of life the application of the Death of Christ unto them unto the pardon of Sin and freedom from Condemnation is in order of Nature and in the exercise of Faith antecedent unto the application of his Obedience unto us for a right and title unto life eternal The state of the person to be justified is a state of Sin and wrath wherein he is liable unto Death and Condemnation This is that which a convinced Sinner is sensible of and which alone in the first place he seeks for deliverance from What shall we do to be saved This in the first place is presented unto him in the Doctrine and Promise of the Gospel which is the Rule and Instrument of its application And this is the death of Christ. Without this no actual Righteousness imputed unto him not the Obedience of Christ himself will give him relief For he is sensible that he hath sinned and thereby come short of the glory of God and under the Sentence condemnatory of the Law Until he receives a deliverance from hence it to no purpose to propose that unto him which should give him right unto life eternal But upon a supposition hereof he is no less concern'd in what shall yet further give him title thereunto that he may reign in life through Righteousness Herein I say in its order Conscience is no less concern'd than in deliverance from Condemnation And this order is expressed in the declaration of the Fruit and Effects of the Mediation of Christ. Dan. 9.24 To make reconciliation for iniquity and to bring in everlasting Righteousness Neither is there any force in the Objection against it that actually the Obedience of Christ did precede his Suffering For the Method of their application is not prescribed thereby And the state of Sinners to be justified with the nature of their Justification requires it should be otherwise as God also hath ordained But because the Obedience and Sufferings of Christ were concomitant from first to last both equally belonging unto his state of Exinanition and cannot in any act or instance be separated but only in notion or imagination seeing he suffered in all his Obedience and obeyed in all his Suffering Heb. 5.8 And neither part of our Justification in freedom from Condemnation and right unto life eternal can be supposed to be or exist without the other according unto the Ordinance and constitution of God the whole effect is jointly to be ascribed unto the whole Mediation of Christ so far as he acted towards God in our behalf wherein he fulfilled the whole Law both as to the penalty exacted of Sinners and the Righteousness it requires unto life as an eternl reward And there are many reasons why our Justification is in the Scripture by the way of Eminency ascribed unto the death and blood-shedding of Christ. For 1. The Grace and Love of God the principal efficient cause of our Justification are therein made most eminent and conspicuous For this is most frequently in the Scripture proposed unto us as the highest instance and undeniable demonstration of Divine Love