Suretiship The Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all Those that thou gavest me I have kept All that the Father giveth me shall come to me His Suretyship is that of satisfaction for guilt past in the Covenant of Works and that of caution in the Covenant of Grace Thus Brinsley Where there is a Suretyship there is just ground for legal imputation but Christs Mediatorial Office is a Suretyship therefore it founds a just ground of imputation to them for whom 't was undertaken There are two Questions the solution whereof might contribute a consiberable light in this affair one is What kind of righteousness that is which is imputed and the second is how far it is made ours by imputation and the one contributes light to the other as to the 1. There is righteousness in Christ as he is God his essential Holiness 2. A Righteousness as he is God-man abstractledy taken from the work of Redemption for us 3. There is a Righteousness in his now present glorified estate wherein he applies what he did for us to us which carries a conformity to the Covenant of Redemption and therefore is a righteousness 4. There is a twofold righteousness in his performance of the mediatorial office for us here below one by reason of its conformity to the Mediatorial Law which requir'd the faithful discharge of a King Priest and Prophet at his hand the other in a conformity to the Law that we were under into which place that undertaking put him As there are four kinds of righteousness to be distinguisht in Christ so there are three degrees of imputation One is only for a persons good Profit or Honour and thus all in Christ is 't is an honour to mankind that there is such a glorious person come of the family he is the light that enlightneth every one that comes into the world he came to restore all things that first relation I have before mentioned as head and end of all the Creatures which fitted him and render'd it proper and becoming that he should become our redeemer was much for man's profit and good A 2d Degree of imputation is for our sake for their sakes do I sanctifie my self when we become the end and he the means and thus the whole Mediatorial Office was undertaken by him the whole of that work was the delivery of Mankind especially the elect although we are not made Priest Prophet and King we reap the benefit of these offices all their causality combined in our salvation and so doth his intercession unto this day 3d. There is a nearer degree of imputation when what 's done is done in our name room and place which Brinsley calls the office of an Attorney I shall give my thought of it by these two properties When Christ doth for us what he was not obliged to do for himself as God-man 2. When we who were oblig'd to do it are freed from the obligation by his doing of 't and under this Christs passive righteousness is comprehended but passive righteousness may justly comprehend the whole state of his humiliation from his Conception to his Resurrection He grew up as a root out of a dry ground without form or comeliness he made himself of no reputation and his first likeness to man was in the form of a Servant and in that fashion he became obedient unto death Great glory and dignity was the due of the humane nature from the first minute of union If a King should marry the poorest Beggar she is Queen from that minute and has a right to share with her Husband in his plenty and honour but a deniedness to this a being emptied of it as 't is in the 2d of Phil. was a great part of Humiliation and a birth of this kind was meritorious the throwing such a thick veil over his proper glory the obscuring of his brightness by such a thick cloud All righteousness has necessarily an active obedience accompanying it or rather is it for a passive suffering without it is not righteousness for all righteousness consists in action and habit and has a relation to the preceptive part of the Law so what had been to us meerly a curse was to him obedience and righteousness because he came under a Law to perform it for what was the penalty of the first Adam's Law was obedience to the Mediatorial Law satisfaction to one righteousness to the other 3. Though Christ as man was bound to obey the Moral Law viz. Not to bear false witness not to steal or kill yet his obedience was in such circumstances that rendered it meritorious all his Sermons and his Death too was a bearing witness to the truth and so an obedience to the ninth Command yet not such obedience as he was antecedently oblig'd to his restoring that which he took not away his being denied to that which was his due was obedience he perform'd to the eighth Commandment His praising God in the Church here below his prayers and faith with strong cries and tears was an obedience to the first table that he was not oblig'd to as God-man He might have been man without being the seed of Abraham and therefore he was not obliged to be circumcis'd which was a great part of suffering for 't was a great dishonour an acknowledgment and publick confession of Original Sin And if our Original Sin thus on him why not his Original Righteousness not as man but as man in our likeness born of a Woman conceiv'd in a Womb and Beza so expounds Rom. 8.1 2. Now there is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus For the law of the spirit of Life in Christ Jesus the Holiness the unspotted Purity and habitural righteousness of Christ as man being imputed to the Believer hath made me free from the Law of sin and death That convinces of the one and binds over to the other viz. Death thus Beza Hemingius Elton Parr Streso Downham As he was the seed of the Woman and our Brother he was bound to obey the moral Law as suited to this estate but there was not a necessity of being born of a Woman he might have become man in a more glorious manner he might have assumed such a Manhood as he now wears there is a great difference to be made between the dues of Christ as Emanuel and as Mediator The Originals are different the one flows from his Actions and Sufferings Function and Investiture the other nakedly from the Union which last remains 1 Cor. 15. when the former is laid down 4. Though the Scriptures point at Christ's Death and Blood principally as the price and satisfaction Acts 20.28 Heb. 9.12 Rev. 1.5 5.9 Eph. 1.7 yet that may well be understood by way of eminence it being the pinnacle of the penalty and doth instruct us that the necessity of the satisfaction was founded in a holy just and good Law and not in the nature of God The satisfaction did not make any
are more likely sences when David said Blessed is he whose sin is forgiven to mean blessed is he who has an interest in Christ and his satisfaction than to mean blessed is he who repents Nay the Prophet adds that as another thing Blessed is he in whose spirit there is no guile i. e. Blessed is the pardon'd man and the sincere man 3ly He is ungodly when forgiven therefore his righteousness is not the condition of it 4ly C. 3. v. 25. To declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past why should we think the Terms connexed other than what before he unites as cause and effect this is to unite what the Apostle separates our Works and Justification and separate what he unites Christ righteousness and remission 2. It is not supposable to think that Christ's righteousness or satisfaction should be no where mention'd in this dispute about the causes of Justification when it s confest that that is the grand and only meriting cause It is strange that he should dispute about the cause of pardon and yet never mention the true cause but instead of it always a little petty requisite without any causality at all and the more strange that he should so frequently mention that cause under the name of Christ's blood and his being deliver'd for our offences the matter of his righteousness in the context and seldom ever the effect without it but when he calls it by the name of righteousness the proper name by which it saves us for his blood saves us as it is a righteousness a conformity to the law of Redemption that wherein the Law obtain'd its end then it should not be esteem'd his but our own 3. We may learn whose righteousness it is that is mention'd in the dispute by what was propos'd in the These or Doctrine to be disputed which he proposes both negatively and affirmatively viz. Justified not by our righteousness or works but God's we are justified by Gods righteousness this he proposes Rom. 1.17 as the grand end of the Gospel Therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith surely God's Righteousness and Faith by which it s receiv'd are distinct things from thence to v. 21. c. 3. he proves that all our own righteousness is entirely rejected from any interest in this affair and again v. 21. proposes thus the righteousness of God to be that which he now undertakes to prove to be the only righteousness we are justified by But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested and that by God he means Christ Rom. 10.3 4. may be easily learn'd from his words Vnto the righteousness of God for Christ is the end of the Law for righteousness and that it is not call'd the righteousness of God because his gift we may learn from Rom. 1.8 Your faith is spoken of thoroughout the world Faith is a work this is the work of God to believe on his name and faith is a righteousness for there is a conformity to the Law in it but it is ours your faith faith differs from this righteousness as the act and object Righteousness of God reveal'd from faith to faith What unprejudic'd man would call that righteousness and faith the same faith differs from it as the effect from the cause 2 Pet. 1.1 Have obtain'd the like precious faith with us thorough the righteousness of God and our Saviour Jesus Christ Who would wish for a plainer expression to prove that the gift of Faith is the fruit of Christ's merit and therefore this righteousness must be imputed to us before that gift be possess'd by us 4. The Epithets of this righteousness speaks it to be Christs Rom. 3.21 22 24. 1. It s the righteousness of God God was Author Owner Contriver Acter Giver Subject of this righteousness it deserves the name by way of Eminence who could contrive it but his Wisdom give it but his Grace bear it but his Patience work it but his Power possess it but his Fulness 2. Without the Law on two accounts both as to the person and as to the righteousness 1. The person Gal. 4. Was made under the law he came under it by his own voluntary choice not natural necessity as we are hence without the Law 2. The Righteousness was that no precept of the Law requir'd to dye or suffer that was none of its duties or righteousness it was its penalty in case of Unrighteousness 3. It s a righteousness now manifested faith and repentance has shin'd in the practice of the Patriarchs and Prophets ever since Adam Heb. 11. Abel Noah Enoch believ'd indeed Christ's was a new kind the World never saw before 4. It was witness'd by the Law and the Prophets if we take the Law for the books of Moses they bear witness to it Abraham believ'd and it was imputed to him for righteousness the bruising his heel Gen. 3. witnesses his suffering the principal matter of his righteousness If we take it for the Typical Law that witnessed to it for all the sacrifices were Types and Types are visible Prophecies and all the Language is the Messias was to suffer in the room of others to obey a Law for others and the Prophets witness Isa 45. Surely shall one say in the Lord have I righteousness Jer. 23.6 The Lord our righteousness Dan. 9. To bring in everlasting righteousness There are the Testimonies of three Prophets To him gave all the Prophets witness 5. It was a righteousness convey'd thorough faith put on them that believe v. 22. which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe 6. A righteousness that consist in a conformity to a Law which to us is a Law of Faith not Works We are bound to believe his Obedience to all the Law in the Covenant of Redemption but not to work one bit of it Hence we being justified by that righteousness our boasting is excluded v. 27. 7. A faith that consists in shedding of blood in suffering v. 25. These two are to the same effect Thorough faith in his blood and righteousness by faith 8. A righteousness whose fruit is remission of sin v. 24. To declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are pass'd the same Coherence that is in the Text between imputation of righteousness and pardon 9 Rom. 9.4 A righteousness wherein the Law attain'd its full end the Subject Life and Happiness and the Law-giver honour and glory 10. A righteousness the gift whereof glorifies grace to the uttermost the righteousness of an Angel is not such a gift as this is 5. It s a righteousness that is made ours As Adam's first offence or unrighteousness was made ours that never inher'd in us but death came on us by it then it has some relation to us and we to it this is at large in C. 5. where the Author of this righteousness is plainly call'd the second Adam and if that be not plain enough v. 21. he is call'd
Jesus Christ our Lord And that it s made ours 1. By a gracious gift abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness 2. It still remain'd inherent in him alone for justification of life came upon all men by the righteousness of one If it were ours there must be as many righteousneses as justifications but here by the obedience of one many are made righteous 3. It s convey'd thorough a Law The word made imports a legal constitution and the first Adam's case shews it until the Law sin was in the world sin is not imputed when there is no law wherever imputation is there is a Law the Hostage cannot suffer for his King or Country but by some Law Christ was made sin for us only by Law and we the righteousness of God in him by law The Debtor is reliev'd thorough the Sureties discharge by a Law and this Law is the Law of Faith that we ought daily to study the Law was If thou as sponsor wilt dye for them they shall live if thou wilt go under the curse of their Law take their Law-place for thy sake they shall have the place of Sons It s much harder to me to comprehend how Adam's first offence should be imputed to us for death then Christs righteousness for life and it seems worthy observation that the one imputation is never very clearly reveal'd until the other be set over against it The Apostle thereby tells us we are no losers but gainers by it an imputed righteousness may well free from an imputed guilt and commends that righteousness imputed for it frees from more than that viz. from all guilt This 5th C. gives account of the Original of imputation how it comes that one should be justified by anothers righteousness or condem'd by anothers sin Solomon Eccles 7.24 among his many learned Enquiries in his latter days enquires after the original of sin how a righteous man should become a sinner One thing have I found that God made man upright but we have found out many inventions The Apostles enquiry is of a greater depth how one mans guilt or righteousness should be convey'd to another Adam's sin or Christ's righteousness 6. It s a righteousness made ours as he was sin 2 Cor. 5.21 Isa 53. which did never inhere in him 7. From the very Title of imputed but that will be made clear in the 2d general head to which I now come and whether I refer a considerable Question belonging to this viz. What righteousness of Christ is it that is imputed II. As to the second Question What is meant by Imputation of righteousness I shall begin with the signification of the word which as others is translated from humane use to signifie by similitude some divine thing Putation thinking belongs to the Art of Logic and in the Greek the words are Conjugates branches of the same root and in Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is used for thoughts too The Lord knoweth the thoughts of men that they are vanity Psal 94.11 2. Computation belongs to Arithmetick and Greek Authors explain this word by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to calculate number or reckon and as the Art of Logick has the name from the Greek the Art of Arithmetick Accompting in Hebrew has its Name from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 see Munster's Lexicon and so the Scripture uses the word Lev. 25.27 Let him count the years of the sale thereof Eccl. 7.26 Counting one by one to find out the accompt 3. Imputation is an applying of Accompts and the things valued and esteemed thereby it is accompt assign or ascribe by way of counting and reckoning to some particular persons We have here then the righteousness of Christ as a rich treasure of Grace in the bank of God it 's one individual Jewel given of God for the redemption of slaves and its value is so great and the way it 's communicated being by Accompts it may be distributed to pay for the redemption of Millions all at various times and places We have God represented as a great Merchant with his rich Fund and his Books of Accompts the Merchandize Prov. 3. Is better than that of silver or gold Rev. 3. the Naked may buy garments of Righteousness and Isa 55. they may buy without Money or Price Among these Books Rev. 20.12 The books were open'd and another book was open'd There is one Book that is call'd The Lambs Book Rev. 13.8 Whose Names are not written in the book of Life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the World There are two Books of Life one for Angels by their own inherent righteousness another for fallen Man who obtain it thorough the Death of the Lamb his passive righteousness In this book Christ has Credit for the redemption of all agreed for between the Father and Son and when a persons Name is put in that Book Christ's righteousness is transferr'd to him for Life for a salvation from all evil Dan. 12.1 Thy People shall be deliver'd every one that shall be found written in the Book Luk. 10.20 Rejoice that your Names are written in Heaven We may then see what the Imputation of Christ's righteousness to us is it was the putting our Names in among the Number for whom Christ dy'd it 's having all Christ did and suffer'd put so to our accompt that we may actually partake of all the Blessings God's goodness and grace design'd for us but the transgress'd Law render'd it inconsistent with the Governour 's Authority Honour and Wisdom to confer it upon us the way this impediment and bar was remov'd was by the sufferings of Immanuel Imputation is either the application of that benefit from Eternity in the Elective Decree of God or the actual investing the Person with it in time It 's my present Light that the Imputation of Righteousness to Blessedness was the eternal act and the imputation of Faith to Righteousness the temporal the former was 2 Tim. 1.9 a purpose of conferring this grace and gift of Righteousness upon us in Christ before the World began There was a double Gift set down in that Book by him that is God of all grace sovereign Proprietor 1. We were given to Christ Thine they were and thou gavest them me 2. Christ's Righteousness was given to us by his Consent he became surety his Name was put in our Book of Debt and Death and ours in his of Righteousness and Life Two things need proof here 1. That Christ's Righteousness is transferr'd in its Value and Virtue to us in way of accompt 2. That that was from Eternity The first is manifest from the Text for one cannot be justified without an antecedent righteousness the Non-worker and Ungodly person has no righteousness of his own it must then be anothers transferr'd tho' it still inhere in him only yet its value may be transferr'd to us Thus Money may still lye in its old Chests and yet be transferr'd in accompts thorough
Virgins that have no Oil in their Lamps 2ly The foundations this Opinion are grounded on are not very sure As 1. They say John Baptist's Ministry was to prepare the way to Christ by the doctrine of Repentance Respon The Baptists Ministry is to be consider'd either in general with all Ministers to prepare and make meet for the inheritance Luke 17.6 To prepare his ways to give knowledge of Salvation unto his people by the remission of their sins thorough the tender mercies of our God His Work was to fit for Heaven not to make Hypocrites though he did make many 2. His Ministry was to be consider'd in relation to that peculiar dispensation which was to raise and awaken peoples minds in expectation of the Messias and fulfilment of the great promises about the incarnation of the Son of God his Birth Life Death Resurrection and Constitution of his Church which was peculiar to himself A Second Foundation of these preparatory Works is Christ's Expressions preferring one People to another as such with whom the means that others enjoy'd in vain would have prevail'd for their true Repentance Matth. 11. to this purpose Christ prefers the Tyrians and Sidonians to the People of Chorazin and Bethsaida For Answer I shall give Camero's Sense of these Expressions who counts it a popular Hyperbole to upbraid the Unbelief of these People who had seen so many of his Miracles as if one should say he is as bad or worse than the Devil and these things seem to confirm this sense 1. It would seem to reflect on the Bowels and Mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ that he would not walk two or three Miles to work a Miracle among a People who wanted nothing else to secure their Salvation and yet continue to Preach and work Miracles where he knew the event would be only the Aggravation of their Sin and Punishment 2. To attribute the Conversion of a People to any external means and not the efficacy and energy of the Holy Ghost is contrary to the sense of the Holy Ghost for Paul may plant and Apollo may water but God gives the encrease and yet these words taken litterally would imply this if in Tyre and Sidon the Miracles had been done which have been done in thee they would have repented long ago 3. The Letter of this Scripture would arrogate the power of Conversion to Miracles which certainly is not the Sense of the Scripture for Abram in the 16th of Luke is brought in saying in that Conference with the rich man that if they heard not Moses and the Prophets they would not believe one that rose from the dead 4. Such Hyperbolical Language Christ frequently us'd as Matth. 18.8 9. If thy Hand or thy Foot offend thee cut it off if any man smite thee on the right Cheek turn to him the other when thou dost Alms let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doth And of this kind seems Moses his Wish to be who pray'd that God would rather blot him out of the Book of Life than destroy that People The import of it was only to express the earnestness of his desire A Third Foundation is Christ's commendation of the young Man Matth. 19.15 Mark 10.21 Luke 18.18 where 't is said Jesus lov'd him and that he lack'd but one thing of the Kingdom of Heaven Resp 1. The same Scripture gives no account of his coming there but rather of the impossibility of it and that 't was easier for a Camel to go through the Eye of a Needle than for such a Man to enter into the Kingdom of Heaven and farther that 't was a thing only possible to God And in more plain terms he describes him to be one who trusted in his riches and what can more unfit Man for Heaven God and Mammon are at greatest distance As to that Expression of his loving him I think it may be best explain'd by that distinction that is us'd about Christ's Tears when he wept over a dead Lazarus or sympathiz'd with his Sisters that they were expressions of his Humanity and that tho' he had not the like Passions yet the like Affections with us and could love what 's useful and in its kind beautiful amongst men and such are all these Moral Virtues that renders a Man amiable and useful in the Society where he lives A Fourth Foundation is that an Appetite and desire is antecedent unto enjoying Christ or his Benefits Isa 55.1 Ho every one that thirsteth come ye to the Waters Resp That is every one there is a great difference between a desire and the determination of it Psal 4. many say i. e. all or all unconverted Who will shew us any good but Lord lift thou up on me the light of thy countenance It is the termination of their desires on Christ on stable lasting heavenly spiritual good things the Prophet exhorts to he blames them for terminating their desires on what did not profit A 3. Argument against preparatory Works seems to be their inconsistence with the Nature of Conversion for Creation Regeneration Resurrection and Victory have no antecedent predispositions all the preparation in order to be conquer'd and overcome is to oppose with the greater force to prevent it the others imply a Divine Omnipotency working upon nothing or what 's unfit for the produc'd effect 4. It being granted that there 's no necessary Connection between preparatory Works and Pardon I see no reason why some may not be pardon'd without it as well as some have it and not pardoned 5. The design of the Gospel being to exalt pardoning Grace Ver. 15 16. It 's of Faith that it might be of Grace The less the Preparation appear the more Grace is exalted and manifested Obj. Should then a Man do nothing until he be justified Resp 1. Many are justified who know it not 2. Our Priviledges are not the Rule of our Duty but God's Command 3. That is without doubt we should do all we can few if any do what they may be always trying whether God gives ability or not 4. To all under the means of Grace at least God gives common Grace and by that they may live a sober just and honest Life among men and they may and ought to attend on Ordinances Phil. 2.12 Work in and about your own Salvation as Camero excellently translates it wait there until God works effectually he doth it of his own good pleasure where and when he will Let fear and trembling therefore accompany thy attendance lest thou miss the gale of that Wind that blows where it listeth Here is no room for Idleness to a Non converted and unpardoned Soul Faith comes by hearing be thou a diligent hearer 5. God gives Life thorough the Command of the Law he speaks a Pardon thorough the Precept it 's that makes the Law evangelical when he commands the dead to arise Lazarus come forth Lame Cripple rise and walk Bed rid man carry home thy bed thy sins are
be willing * Jan. Aug. To. 3. lib. 2. c. 9. 3. It would be Grace restoring to Adams condition to be able to do good or evil 4. This distinction of sufficient and efficacious grace Jansenus says Augustine nor none of the Latin Fathers knew nor any general Council ever did determine †To. 3. lib. 2. c 29. About 5 for grace to have its efficacy from the corrupt will of Man is enmity to be the Author of Love from sufficient grace it is not that brings not forth the effect there is nothing else in the will of Man If it be another addition of grace the former was not sufficient and indeed where it s not able to conquer the will of man and bring forth its effect to make man willing it is not But this were to leave the Question about justifying grace and to dispute about sanctifying grace A 4th Argument is from the nature and the kind of justifying acts As to its Original it 's gracious as to its Obiect it 's pardon put these two together a gracious pardon and it supposes the Object under great guilt and misery For 1. Grace is goodness in all its variety and fulness when the Lord proclaims his own graciousness Exod. 34.6 He describes it by abundance of Goodness and Truth tenderness of mercy and longness of suffering and this as the spring of pardoning grace Keeping mercy for thousands forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin Where the person is just by a constituted Law there is no need of such amplifications of Goodness for if it be an easie Law the grace was in making law and not in justifying by the Law 2. Grace is goodness flowing from the Heart of the Giver it s called gratia gratum faciens because it renders the person acceptable and lovely in the sight of God hence it bears the name of Love thorough the Book of Canticles Chap. 8.6 Set me as a seal on thy heart as a seal upon thine arm So is every object of Free-grace his Love is fixed on them and hence the arm of his Power protects them But this Love of Grace is incomparable it s stronger than Death for at once it delivers from a legal and spiritual Death the guilt and the power of sin and him that hath the power of Death that is the Devil as cruel as the Grave that devours all before it The Coals thereof are coals of fire no waters can quench it nor floods drown it And as its full so its free If a man would give all the substance of his house for love it would be utterly contemn'd A 3. Ingredient of grace is mercy pardoning grace and mercy are but different names of the same thing and suppose the Object in a miserable condition Rom. 11.32 God hath concluded them all in unbelief that he might have mercy on all And this mercy is preventing mercy for the Apostle speaking to the very same purpose Rom. 10.20 says I was found of them that sought me not I was made manifest in them that askt not for me And yet farther Rom. 9.11 He shews that all the causes conditions and motives of Mercy are to be sought for in the disposition of the Author and not the disposition of the subject That the purpose of God according to election might stand not of Works but of him that calleth But the Name grace seems to import somewhat higher than all this it speaks exclusiveness of conditions Rom. 3.24 Being justified freely by his grace that is saith the Neat Witsius without any cause or condition 2. It speaks fulness John 1.16 Of his fulness we have received grace for grace Colos 2.10 In him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily and ye are compleat in him And it speaks perseverance for the Covenant of Grace contains the sure mercies of David Psalm 89.33 Though I visit their iniquities with stripes nevertheless my loving-kindness will I not utterly take from them It speaks the Object in a most wretched condition Isa 57.1 7. I won't contend for ever neither will I be always wroth though my anger hath an end my mercy hasn't for the spirit would fail before me and the souls which I have made as they cannot convert themselves so they can't bear my endless wrath For the iniquity of his Covetuousness was I wroth and smote him I hid me and was worth and he went on frowardly in the way of his heart A most desperate Condition the easiest law in the world could speak no comfort to him but grace can I have seen his ways and will heal him I will lead him and restore comforts to him Tho' there be no matter in the subject to bring Comfort out of my grace hath a creative power I create the fruit of the lips peace to him that is far off c. Lastly Soveraignity is an ingredient in grace We read of grace upon the Throne a Throne of Grace all pure grace Where the Transactions and Dipensations are according to Law there is no place for over-ruling Soveraignity but this justification is a dispensation from a Throne of Grace and the very end of it is to glorifie that grace verses 16 17. It is of faith that it might be by grace All Laws and transgressions of Laws all Dispensations of Providence and Permissions all Manifestations of other Attributes are for the discovery of the height of this Throne All is for the praise of the glory of his Grace And the whole of this grace receives a lustre in its first preventive act towards a sinner for as he is God of all Grace he calls us into his eternal glory If all the other streams of grace finds us in our sin and guilt elective grace redeeming grace calling and converting grace why should it be supposed or conjectured that pardoning grace doth not find us so to when the very formality of the object is sinfulness The Text tells us t is a covering of sin a not imputing of sin a forgiving of Iniquity a blotting out our transgressions a removing of them from us as far as the East is from the West an act that renders God a Peerless God and therefore supposes our condition worst Who is a God like unto thee Micah 7.18 that pardoneth iniquity and passeth by the transgression of the remnant rf his Heritage he retaineth not his anger for ever because he delighteth in mercy he will turn again he will have compassion upon us he will subdue our iniquities and cast all their sins into the depth of the Sea The only Use that I shall make of this is to linners who are in their Ungodliness and without Works and whose Consciences tells them so the doctrine speaks this to you that you have as great reason and as great encouragement to come to this throne of Grace and to sue out for a pardon in the Name of Christ as any others There was an universal command to the Apostles to preach the Gospel to
change in the divine nature to turn him out of an angry temper into a gracious kind and merciful one for the gift of the Son flow'd from the unchangeableness of his Love but God as Supream King and Governour by a just Law well and wisely establish'd could not in Honour admit Rebels to the Priviledges he design'd for them without a satisfaction made to the Government which must be what the Law required and that required Death and as our Death begins with a mortal nature and encreases thorough sickness and weakness until it be compleated in a Death-stroke or some violence prevent the gradualness so Christ became like us in all things excepting sin one drop of Christ's Blood one day of his humility had dignity enough in in it but he was to pay what the Law required and the Law obtained all its ends in him This may help us to understand these Phrases used very rudely that God loves the elect when sinning as well as when praying It s true as he is God for there is no change in him but not true as our God or Governour and the Language of Scripture is in this latter sense as he manifests himself thorough Law or Gospel these being Rules of his dispensations and glasses of our knowledge 5. On the other hand though we obey the Law in some measure and have a measure of suffering which is acceptable to God thorough Christ if we have faith in him yet this comes in as no satisfaction to that primitive Law for we are not oblig'd to do what he did for us it comes in as a preparing us for a possession in a holy Society where no unclean thing can enter so the imputation of Christ's obedience takes not away the necessity of our obedience more than his passive takes away the necessity of our suffering or dying It 's appointed for all once to dye though Christ died and it s appointed for all to obey though Christ obey'd neither our suffering nor our obedience comes in as a part of that righteousness that first Law requir'd of us as belonging to the covenant of Works the breaking of this clay vessel either by Death or what 's equivalent is necessary for our habitation in another Sphere where this cannot enter blessings of that would be a torment to this constitution Sufferings are necessary to make us sensible what we deserve and what our Saviour suffer'd for us Holiness and Righteousness is necessary by precept and as a means to fit and prepare for that possession 3. Thorough a congruity as a fruit and an effect of that image of God begun to be drawn in us by reason of which when in its perfection it may be said The Law is not made for a righteous man and we read of no Law given to Adam but Ceremonial Laws the nature of God is the first Law the Moral Law reveal'd is but a Copy of that divine temper and when it s perfectly writ in a Man's Heart without any blot mistake or defect to live holily is to live as he list and by reason of this disposition of Soul a Saint can never be said to be without law yet if we take law for an external Command swaying by the force of its sanction against the stream of Inclination a man is neither of the Law nor under the Law The 2d and last Head propos'd was about the sense of these words Faith imputed to Righteousness about which there are these three Opinions Some say that Faith is taken objectively Faith comprehending Christ's Righteousness is put for it or Faith in justification is always valued as comprehending Christ's Righteousness 2. Others say that God out of his Gracious Acceptation takes faith for the Righteousness Blessedness is due to we say Christ's Righteousness comes in the room of that they that Christ merited that faith should be taken for it The 3d. Which my judgement embraces is that faith is reckon'd of God the mean of Application or Instrument of conveyance of Christ's Righteousness to us Imputation applied to Faith is a note of Distinction implying a double use of Faith the one is by inhesion and so it sanctifies us the other is by imputation and so it justifies us because it is the ceremony of Seisin by which we are invested with and entitled to the righteousness of Christ this suits best with the former Metaphor of imputation in Books of accompts for 't is not only usual and necessary to transfer and impute Estates in Books of Accompts where great Funds and Banks are but there is given to the person who is made Creditor a Bank-bill or Tally bearing the value of the transferr'd summ so that bit of Stick or Paper thorough imputation if we compare it with these Bank-Books makes the Man worth so much money as the transfer'd summ is so in the Lamb's Book of Life there 's not only a transferring of his righteousness to us but there is given out this Bill or Tally of Faith to us by which we are entitled to it There are many Arguments which may both prove and explain this 1. It is without doubt that all our priviledges are convey'd one way Faith bears the same relation to them all Rom. 4.16 It 's said the inheritance is of Faith that it might be by grace now Heb. 11.1 Faith 's call'd the substance of things hop'd for Substance saith Tho. Aquin. is the beginning of a thing that necessarily at last infers the whole that 's in our English an Earnest now if Faith be an earnest of Heaven it bears the like relation to other priviledges as Rev. 2.17 We read of a white stone and in the stone a New Name that was the stone of absolution the Judge anciently instead of speaking his Sentence convey'd it by the giving of a white or black stone so if Faith be the earnest of our hopes it 's the stone of our pardon it 's the Ring of our Marriage with Christ it 's the Winte Raiment Feast and New Name of our Manumission by justification out of Slaves we are made Freemen and Faith is the mean and instrument of Investiture with it 2. This sence of it removes a considerable difficulty among Divines the Question is since Justification is a transitory act of God and terminates upon the Creature what it is that he doth when he justifies or what bears the room of the justifying sentence most say the Word of God the Gospel but there 's a great distinction between the voice of the Law and the voice of the Judge the Law says Whosoever believes shall be justified but the voice of the Judge is thou John or Thomas art absolv'd it s a particular positive and authorative Application of the Law Mr. Baxter thinks that God proclaims some publick Sentence among the Angels but that 's a groundless Notion this seems to me most reasonable that the gift of Faith being such a fruit of his special grace that he gives to no sinner but