one from the other i.e. the Active Obedience of Christ and his Passive Obedience Now I say it is not safe for any to say we are Justified by the Passive Obedience of Christ only i. e. By his Death and Sufferings alone I say 't is very dangerous for any to believe thus For thus I argue Argument That alone by which the Law is fulfilled and God's Justice satisfied by that alone we are Justified But by the Righteousness of Christ that is to say the Righteousness of his Life which is his Active Obedience And by the Righteousness of his Death which is his Passive Obedience the Law is fulfilled and God's Justice fully satisfied Therefore by the whole Righteousness of Christ namely his holy Life and Meritorious Death we are Justified not by his Death excluding his holy Life but his holy Life and bitter Death justifies us and is the Meritorious Cause of our Justification And my Beloved consider 1. That the first part is proved thus There is no Justification before God without a perfect and compleat Righteousness as that which is agreeable to God's holy nature and which is agreeable to his holy Law and this I have already proved that a Man must be perfectly Just or declared so upon just Grounds or he cannot be Justified 2. Consider that there is no perfect Righteousness but that which exactly and fully fulfilleth the Law that is accepted of God and this is done I mean the Law fulfilled two ways 1. By a perfect and perpetual Conformity to the Law not only a perfect Conformity to it for the present but by a perpetual Conformity to it in doing all that the Laws injoyns according to the Tenure of it do this and live or do this and thou shalt be Justified I will defend you from all and every thing that can do you hurt 2. By a full Satisfaction and Compensation to the Sentence of the Law i. e. to bear and undergo the Penalty and punishment thereof which was Death and the Curse and Wrath of God this was our due and this Christ did in our stead as our Surety he did perfectly and perpetually keep the Law while he was on Earth in our Nature for us and he did fully satisfie and make Compensation to the Sentence of the Law he did undergo the penalty and punishment therein denounced which was our due 3. And that it must be thus evident because the Doctrine of Justification doth not make void the Law but establish it See Rom. 3. ult Faith or Justification by Faith doth not make void the Law but establish it The Law is Confirmed i. e. Established by our being Justified by the compleat Righteousness of the Lord Jesus Christ by the perfect and compleat Conformity of the Lord Jesus to the Law the Law is Established as Holy Just and Good But Christ did fully and perfectly keep the Law and make a full satisfaction to the Justice of God for the Breach of it He in every Precept Type Promise and Prophesie compleatly fulfilled it to justifie us thereby as our Surety Therefore 4. Consider that by the Passive Righteousness or Meritorious Death and Suffering of Christ we are not Justified this doth not justifie us alone that is singly considered and the reasons follow Reason 1. Because it is by his Suffering for us and in our nature as our head Surety and Representative bearing the penalty of the Law he frees us from Hell 2. Because by his Righteousness both Habitual and Actual he intitles us to Heaven neither of which we were capable to perform therefore his Passive Obedience alone doth not justifie for by his Passive Obedience bearing our Punishment he only frees us from Hell and by his Active Obedience in keeping perfectly and perpetually the Law he gives us a Title to the promise of Glory Now it is one thing to be freed from punishment and another to be raised again into the King's Favour and Presence Wherefore 3. As without the Imputation or Satisfaction of his Sufferings we could not be freed from Hell So without his perfect Obedience and Conformity to the holy Law imputed to us we could not be Justified and Saved By the former viz. the Sufferings of our Saviour He hath redeemed us from the Curse of the Law and from the Wrath of God being made a Curse for us Gal. 3.13 And by the latter he makes us Partakers of the promised Blessedness or gives us a Title to or Interest in the promises of Eternal Life by performing for us in our nature that Righteousness which was the condition of the Promise Do this i. e. perform this there 's the Precept and thou shalt live that 's the Promise Now this Life is not only Temporal but Spiritual It is a Life of Peace in the Favour and Love of God a Life of great Consolation in God's Love and Favour Do this and thou shalt live This Christ did therefore the promise is ours he did it for us And God the Father to speak with Reverence is obliged to make good the promise We shall live Therefore 4. Consider as we are Justified from our Sins by the Blood of Christ that we might not be damned So we are just by the actual Righteousness of Christ that we might be Saved or Glorified The first defends us from the Curse and Wrath of God the seconds intitles us to the Mercies and Blessings of God or as we were Reconciled to God by the Death of Christ so we are as well Justified and Saved by the Life of Christ i. e. by that Life that he lived for us while on Earth the Benefits and Blessings of which he pleads now for us in Heaven for it is to this end he lives now for us in Heaven There not only doth he plead his bitter Death and Passion but also his holy Life which was a perfect Conformity to God's Law Vide Rom. 5.10 For if while we were Enemies we were Reconciled to God by the Death of his Son much more being Reconciled we shall be saved by his Life So it is by his Life that we are saved because he now lives to plead the virtue of his Death and of his Undertakings for us By this you may see the Doctrin of St. Paul is Confirmed Rom. 5.19 For as by the Disobedience of one Man even Adam against the Law many were made Sinners by Imputation so by the obedience of one Man even Christ the second Adam shall many be made Righteous Having thus opened the point that which I am to prove is this viz. That Christ's Death is the Meritorious or procuring Cause of our Justification That Christ's Sufferings did merit this Favour at the Hand of God nor us and defends us from the Curse and Wrath of God Now that which we affirm is this That what Christ did and suffered he did it as a common Head Representative and Surety for all the Elect which are his Mystical Body But there is an unsound Notion spread abroad
to the Righteousness of Christ is because they see a Righteousness in themselves and conclude to be Justified by Inherent Righteousness But it is only such Persons that see their Misery by reas on of their Apostacy and the want of perfect Righteousness in themselves that fly to Christ 3. You must consider the Greatness Power Holiness Justice and Righteousness of God as well as his Mercy and Goodness Sinners they meditate on his Mercy and Goodness and they forget his Justice his Wisdom his Power and his Faithfulness They don't consider that God is a faithful God but they think if they do but melt he must forgive them They little consider that God is a wise and just God and that these Thoughts of theirs are but vain They little consider that God is most pure and holy they do not meditate on the holy nature of God which would presently inform them that God cannot accept of one into his Bosom that is unclean and impure II. This brings me to shew you what Justification is And 1. To Justifie doth not here intend to declare a person innocent or that he hath never sinned or is not guilty of the Fact That is not the meaning of it as you may see Rom. 4.5 But to him that worketh not but believeth on him that Justifieth the Ungodly c. or that defendeth the Ungodly it is not to make the person faultless for all have sinned and are guilty before God in themselves And to justifie them doth not annihilate their Sin so as to proclaim them innocent in them selves and without inherent Sin 2. Neither is Justification a meer and bare Pardon and Forgiveness of SIN 3. Consider none but such Persons who be Inherently Just or made Just can be Justified If God be said to justifie the Ungodly it is because they are made Just tho' they are not Just in themselves yet they are made Just thro' the Imputation of anothers Righteousness 4. Consider none that were once unjust can be made just again or acquitted without Satisfaction made to the Justice of God And 1. What can do this Sorrow for offence will not make compensation to the Justice of God This will not satisfie the Law when the Thief is brought before the Judge for him to shed Tears the Judge will not set him free because he mourns and weeps 2. The Confession of the East is no Ground in Law for Absolution therefore when the Apostle saith If we confess our Sins he is faithful and just to forgive us our Sins c. 1. Joh. 1.9 we are to consider First it refers to God's Promise and Faithfulness He is Just and Faithful to forgive us our Sins in his Son for he hath promised this and all things else in Christ and he would be unjust if I may so speak with Reverence if he was not so good as his word Secondly That which is the Ground of it with respect to Justice is the Blood and Merits of the Lord Jesus Christ For the Lord hath received Satisfaction by the Death of the Mediator By the Death of our Trustee who stood our Room and bore our Sins in his own Body on the Tree Now this would reflect on his Justice if he did not set the Sinner free for whom he had received satisfaction so that it is just with God to forgive us our Sins i. e. he approves himself just in forgiving our Sins But 3. Remission of Sin doth not make a Man who was guilty to become guiltless I say Remission of Sin in respect to Pardon so considered doth not make a Man who was guilty to become guiltless a Thief tho' pardoned is a Thief still Forgiveness discharges only from Penalty 4. The suffering the Penalty doth not make him that is unjust to become Just therefore thou wilt not be Just nor Justified though thou dost suffer the penalty A Thief burn'd in the Hand is a Thief still tho' he hath suffered the Law tho' it dischargeth him it doth not justifie him 5. Therefore in order to Justification there must be a plenary Satisfaction for the fault done Nor is this plenary satisfaction always to be made by the offending Party it may be done by the Surety and so it is here 6. God only who is offended knows best what Satisfaction comports and suits with his Holiness and Justice We must not be Choosers in this great case We must not think nor set down this will satisfie God's Justice if we cry and call for Mercy that this will do it Or if I Repent of my Sins that will do it We must have a care what we say God only who is offended knows best what Satifaction suits with his Holiness and if he in Christ declares himself well satisfied shall we seek out another way When God declares that he is well pleased in no other way Neither is there Salvation in any other for there is none other name under Heaven given among Men whereby we must be saved Act. 4.12 7. And lastly Therefore to be Justified is to be acquitted and declared Just through the Redemption that is in Jesus Christ or that Satisfaction that he hath made to divine Justice It is God's pronouncing of us Just 't is not his making of us inherently so but his pronouncing of us Just and Righteous through the Imputation of Christ's Righteousness Justification is taken in Scripture namely to declare a Man Just that is Justification in a Gospel sence and that is Condemnation for a Man to be declared Unjust through the Fall of the first Adam So now we are declared even every Bellever Just through the Imputation of the Righteousness of the second Adam and that is by the Lord Jesus A Plain and Familiar DISCOURSE ON Justification c. SERMON II. ROM 3. xxiv Being Justified freely by his Grace through the Redemption that is in Jesus Christ DOctrine That Justification is wholly of the free Grace of God through or by the Imputation of what Christ hath done for us or his perfect Righteousness I shall now proceed to the next thing namely to prove to you that Justification is taken in Scripture to declare or pronounce a Man Just or Righteous upon Tryal which includeth pardon of Sin but is more than bare Pardon of Sin Vide Deut. 25.1 If there be a Controversie between Men and they come unto Judgment that the Judge may judge them then they shall justifie the Righteous and condemn the Wicked What make him inherently Just No that is not the meaning of the Holy Ghost but they shall pronouce or declare him acquitted And shall Condemn the Wicked i. e. they shall pronounce or declare him Wicked he doth not say they shall pardon the Righteous for that is not to justifie him nor doth the Text mean the infusing inward Righteousness into him to be Justified no more than their making the Wicked wicked I say it is not infusing Wickedness into the Wicked that makes him wicked nor their infusing
considered that Man is in a lost and undone State i. e. all Mankind by reason of the Fall and Transgression of our first Parents are brought into a state of Sin and Death besides our own actual Sins by which we have aggravated our Misery and strengthened those Cords that bound us under the wrath of God This must be taken in that all Men are concerned with Adam as considered in his Loyns and his Apostasie from God He was a publick person and did personate all Mankind that should proceed from him His Standing was our Standing his Fall was our Fall his Gain had been our Gain Our Stock was all put into his Hands and into his keeping and he proved Bankrupt and broke and lost all and we by his Sin are brought into a state of Sin prone to Sin and bound over to eternal Wrath having rebelled against God and grieviously offended that holy Law-giver This the Apostle shews at large in the same Chapter from Verse the 10. to 19. how miserable we are by Nature how sad and woful our case is by reason of Sin 2. This must also be considered that Mankind You and I every one of us by Nature are Children of Wrath and stand charged at God's Barr where we must plead and either must be Justified or Condemned we having proved Traytors and Rebels to the Sacred and Divine Majesty and he will call us and most Righteously will he judge us and we must plead He will call us to an account for our Sins and Rebellions because they were against him Now when the Sinner comes and appears be-before God and is accused and charged with horrid Guilt and Crimes even of the highest and greatest Treason and Rebellion that ever was committed I say when the Sinner shall appear before God and is thus charged what will he then plead For he must plead either guilty or not guilty Now to prove that he is guilty there appears against him three substantial Witnesses First God himself is a Witness against the Sinner Mal. 3.5 I will be a swift Witness against the Sorcerers and against the Adulterers c. saith God He that knows every vain Lust and unprofitable Thought he that sees in the dark as clearly as at Noon-day and hath an account of all the works of Iniquity In whose memory is recorded all the Thoughts that ever thou didst think all the words that ever thou didst speak he will be a swift Witness against thee that thou art guilty of many grievious Sins And his dreadful Justice will pursue thee as the Avenger of Blood did persue the Man-slayer under the Law So I say will God's Justice persue the Sinner and by substantial Evidences will manifest that the Sinner is grieviously guilty Secondly as God will be a witness against thee so the Law will accuse the Sinner The Law is broken and trampled upon and that will rise up against the Sinner and will plead against him that it was despised and trampled under foot There is one saith Christ that accuses you even Moses in whom you trust The Jews trusted in their own works that were agreeable to the Law they rested on their external Obedience to the Law of Moses And this saith Christ will plead against you Though you trust in him yet this very Law will condemn you Moses accuses or his Law accuses every Soul who continues not in all things contained therein to do them Gal. 3.10 That Soul must perseveringly continue in doing all things that the Law requires that expects to be Justified by it For if you step but one Inch awry you are under the curse of the Law and the Law broken will be a swift Witness against the Law breaker The Law was added because of Transgression Gal. 3.19 Not only to deterr and restrain from Sin but it was added to condemn even to aggravate the heinous Crimes and abominable Offences on the Soul of the Sinner The Law was added to make Sin appear exceeding sinful it was not given that we might be Justified by it but to shew us the need we have of another Righteousness and the deplorable state we were brought into by the breach of it Not but that the Law is holy just and good What shall we say then saith St. Paul is the Law Sin God forbid because the Law is said to discover Sin and to strengthen Sin is it therefore Sin God forbid Nay saith he I had not known Sin by the Law i. e. I had not known Sin so fully and so clearly The Law of Nature it is true doth convince of all Immoral Acts of Sin but not so fully as the written Law doth especially as it opened in the Gospel The Law written in Men's Hearts cannot convince them of all Sin nor of any Sin so fully and so clearly as the Law opened in the Gospel We had not known the Spirituality of the Law in that degree had it not been for the Law The Law is called The strength of Sin 1 Cor. 15.59 How the strength of Sin Yes because it makes Sin more strong against the Sinner so that he sees he cannot help himself for the Law curses him And therefore in this case the Law is said to strengthen Sin Why because it strengthens the accusation of Sin it strengthens the guilt of Sin therefore it is said that the Law is the strength of Sin Thirdly This must also be considered every Man's Conscience will also naturally accuse him not only God will be a swift Witness against the Sinner and his Law but the Sinner's own Conscience doth accuse him now and it will accuse him at the great Barr of God's Justice if the Soul be not Justified Rom. 2.14 15 16. The Apostle speaking of the Gentiles saith he For when the Gentiles which have not the Law do by Nature the things contained in the Law these having not the Law are a Law unto themselves which shew the work of the Law written in their Hearts their Conscience also bearing Witness and their Thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another in the day when God shall judge the Secrets of Men by Jesus Christ So that you see that Conscience will accuse the Sinner if he be not Justified Then Conscience will receive a clear Light that he may Sum up all the Crimes and wicked Acts and Speeches and Thoughts that ever the Sinner was guilty of If therefore the Sinner should deny the matter of Fact that he is not guilty or that he is not guilty to such a degree yet you sind God hath Witnesses for it Then will be Conscience ready to prove it against you and we need have no other Witness to prove the Charge against us then our own Consciences for that will be more then a Hundred Thousand Witnesses But 3. It is necessary to Consider what the guilty Sinner must do in this case Suppose the Judge of Heaven and Earth should say Sinner what hast thou to say why the Sentence of
Eternal Death and Wrath Why the Sentence of Eternal Burnings should not pass on thee What hast thou to say What hast thou to Plead Consider my Beloved what you would say 1. Would you fly to the Law Thither the Poor Jews fled for Refuge but Christ told them that that would Accuse them instead of Excusing them By the works of the Law shall no Flesh having be Justified If you had kept it all the Days of your Lives if it were possible and had never broke it actually yet the Imputation of Adam's guilt had bound you over to eternal Wrath if this were not prevented by the Grace of God Then where would go I say for the Law accuses you and cries for Vengeance because it is broken Sinner what dost thou say Thou can'st not plead the Law for thy Conscience will accuse thee that thou hast not kept that Or 2. Will you plead the goodness of your own Hearts What is that you will plead if God should call you to an account If he should ask thee I say what thou hast to say for thy self what will you plead that your Hearts are good as some Ignorant Creatures have done That you have as honest Hearts as any Men though you do not make that Show Alas The Heart of Man is deceitfull above all things and saith the wise Man He that trusteth to his Heart is a Fool This will fool thee at last and the Lord he searches the Heart and he knows what a deceitful Heart thou hast and wilt thou set the stress of thy Salvation on the Rottenness of thy wicked Heart he will find out the Rebel if he searches the Family he will find out the Achon he will find out all thy Sins and discover the naughtiness of thy Heart there is no Place to hide thy Villany in there is no corner so secret as to hide thy cursed Evils from him nothing can hide the cursed Plagues of our Hearts from Gods Eyes therefore those that trust to their own Hearts will miserably deceive themselves Or 3. Will you plead the good deeds you have done Will you plead your Prayers and say Lord I have many times kneelled down and cryed to thee Will you plead your Religious duties Will you plead your observation of Ordinances Why alas You are mistaken it is not your Religious duties that are performed from a wicked Heart that will do it Nay Religious Duties performed from a right Principle will not defend you from God's Justice because your Doings cannot satisfie God's Justice for your horrid Crimes and Rebellions against him Or 4. Will you cry for Mercy and Pardon Lord pardon me I commit my self to thy Mercy I throw my self on thee Lord have Mercy upon me and open unto me Will this I say be a Plea Mercy Mercy Mercy O! this is that the Sinner thinks is the only Plea nothing but Mercy Lord for I am guilty Therefore the Sinner concludes he 'll cry Mercy But pray take heed you do not miss it here you must consider upon what account God pardons our Sins You are grievously mistaken if you think he 'll pardon your Sins because you cry Mercy You must consider I say on what account the Lord receives Sinners into his Favour for the Justice of God brings in his Plea My Justice is despised my Name is dishonoured and I must have satisfaction my Faithfulness that must be satisfied for I have said and I will not lie that the Sinner shall surely dye for the Breach of my Law The holy God hath vow'd Psal 95.11 such is his pure nature that he will have satifaction for the Wrong done to him His Mercy cannot take place till his Justice is satisfied While his Justice is broken his Mercy cannot be Reconciled Therefore in this case there must be Satisfaction and it is not crying Peceavi that will satisfie his Justice nay God will have Blood and without Blood thy Sins cannot be remitted thou art guilty of Death and thou must dye There can be no satisfaction given to God's Justice by acknowledging thy Fault nor by weeping or pouring out an Ocean of Tears for the Lord saith in his word that the Sinner must be Justified or not pardoned John 3.16 Rom. 5.1 The Sinner must be Justified or Condemned And the Law stands up and puts in his Plea against the Sinner and saith I am broken in pieces by this Rebel for he never observed me nor took any notice of me Thou holy God hast appointed me as the Canon and Rule that this Creature should have Steer'd all the actions of his Life by but he hath slighted and disregarded me and I must have satisfaction for thou hast said Cursed is every One that continues not in all things that are written in the Law to do them Now therefore you see that satisfaction must be made or the Sinner must be damn'd 5. It is necessary to Consider also that since we must be Justified so well as Pardoned we must of necessity then plead guilty and our plea must not be Mercy for the sake of Mercy For that is to beg as a good Man says and not to plead nor were it at all to be Justified but only forgiven I say to be pardoned without satisfaction is not to be Justified but only forgiven We must therefore be acquitted and Justified And how or after what manner shall we do this Let us consider whither this can be done by any thing that is in us can Faith Justifie us in the sight of God Can our Repentance do it Can habits of Grace as one words it do it Do these acquit us Do any Works of Righteousness which we have done do or can do justifie us O Consider my Beloved if it be not the Obedience Righteousness Satisfaction and Merits of the Lord Jesus it must be something else It is either something done by us or something wrought in us or something done without us by the Lord Jesus that Justifies us it is either a Righteousness wrought in us or it is a Righteousness wrought by another and Imputed to us it must be one of these Secondly the Debt must be paid either by laying it down our selves or by having a Surety that will lay it down for us Therefore if you would understand the Doctrine of Justification aright so as to place your Consciences and your Persons in a due manner in the presence of God and et his Bar. Then 1. You must have the sence of your Apostacy from God on your Hearts you must not only have the notion of it but you must have the Feeling Apprehensions of it upon your Hearts 2. You must have the Apprehension of the want of that Righteousness in your selves that will Justifie you before God I say If you would fly to that Righteouness that Justifies the ungodly then you must first come to see the want of that Righteousness in your selves that will Justifie you in the Sight of God The Reason why Persons fly not
and near to his Heart yet this his Son was offered to be our Ransom Isa 42.1 compared with Rom. 5.15 c. Much more the Grace of God and the gift by Grace which is by one Man Jesus Christ hath abounded unto many So that you see it is all ascribed to the Grace of God and the Gift of his Grace 7. Suppose Christ should have effered himself to God the Father to become our Surety this would not have done unless the Father had accepted of it It would not have been valued had not the Father accepted of a Surety Therefore the Father is Efficient Cause 8 Consider Christ was sent by the Father to do this Work and his being sent is ascribed to God's infinite Love God so loved the World that he gave his only Begotten Son John 3.16 So John 17.8 And they have believed that thou didst send me 9. Consider Christ is said to be Ordained before the Foundation of the World 1 Pet. 1.19 20. He i. e. Christ was delivered by the determinate Council and fore-knowledge of God Acts 4.27 28. 10. The Father called our dear Jesus to do this Work namely to Sacrifice himself or that he might be a Sacrifice for Sins Isa 42.6 I the LORD have called thee in Righteousness c. So Heb. 5.4 And no Man taketh this Honour to himself but he that is called of God as was Aaron So our Lord he was called by the Father to be First both a Priest and Sacrifice for us Secondly he was called by the Father to be a King to conquer our Enemies Thirdly he was called by the Father to be a Prophet to declare his Grace Infinite Love and Goodness to us But 11. The Father did anoint him to his Office to Work out our Salvation Isa 61.1 Psal 45.7 12. The Father prepared him a Body made of our Nature to be laid down in our room and stead to suffer the penalty of the Law Hâ—b 10.5 13. The Father commanded him to lay down his Life to purchase those that he hath chosen John 10.18 14. The Father raised him from the Dead on purpose that he might justifie us 1 Cor. 6.14 15. The holy Spirit is called the promise of the Father Acts 1.4 16. Hence God the Father is called the Father of all Mercies 1 Cor. 1.3 because he is the Efficient Cause of our Justification and all things are said to be of him and from him It is he that gives us the true Bread 17. Christ is made of God unto us Wisdom Righteousness Sanctification and Redemption 1 Cor. 1.30 Thus the Efficient or first Cause of our Justification is wholly of God's Grace But it is necessary to consider how God the Father is concerned in our Justification yet more particularly And 1. He i. e. the Father hath been the injured Person in order of nature and must therefore be satisfied and his Wrath appeased c. 2. Because the Father knew what would do to satisfie his Justice and bring Relief to the Sinner For the Law is broke and he must find out a way to preserve the Sanction of the Law 3. Because the Honour and Glory of the name of the Father might not be Eclipsed for we must not render the Son more kind to his People than the Father 4. Because the Father is said to be our Justifier Rom. 3.26 He declares us Righteous and pronounces us Just But to apply what I have said Use 1. O Believer Let this be of use to stir you up to look into the Channel in which the free Grace of God runs to us it is in a way of Attonement and whatever you have it is all paid for Justification Pardon of Sin and eternal Life it is all paid for therefore see I say where Free Grace runs 2. Hence you may come to know the sweet and Gracious nature of God the Father do not think that he is only an angry Judge and a severe God but also a Gracious Father 3. Admire God's Free Grace which is the Spring of all your Comfort 4. Learn to Love and Adore this God for in this to admiration he holds forth to us his Love and good Will 5. Take heed you do not give any of the Glory of God the Father from him for all must honour the Father as they honour the Son 6. We may from hence infer God is Just and yet he is merciful and gracious and therefore the found out this way to justifie us as well as pardon us 7. O Sinner take heed you do not slight the infinite Grace Kindness and Goodness of God the Father Oh! dread Unbelief and Contempt of this Soveraign Grace 8. Accept the Offers of the Father yea the Offers and Tenders of this Free Grace which is made to you by the Father 9. O you Prodigals Return unto your Father the Father is ready to receive you Nay he 'll meet you half way And lastly O Bless and Pâ—aise God the Father for all the Grace in your Justification Praise the Father through Christ by the Holy Spirit To whom be Glory for Ever and Ever Amen A Plain and Familiar DISCOURSE ON Justification c. SERMON III. ROM 3. xxiv Being justified freely by his Grace thro' the Redemption that is in Jesus Christ Doctrin That Justification is wholly of the free Grace of God through or by the Imputation of what Christ hath done for us or his perfect Righteousness I shall now proceed to the next thing namely to prove to you that Christ is the Meritorious and Mediatoral Cause of our Justification And this will appear if you consider him as he is our Surety who paid our Debts and as our Redeemer who laid down his Life as the Price of our Ransom As he is an Intercessor for us and our Advocate with the Father to plead our Cause and to plead the Merits of his own Blood for us Rom. 8.33 34. Who shall lay any thing to the Charge of God's Elect It is God that justifieth Who is he that Condemneth It is Christ that died yea rather that is risen again who is even at the Right Hand of God who also maketh Intercession for us He is pleading with the Father the Value and Merits of his Blood Hence Christ is said to justifie us Isa 53.11 By his knowledge shall my Righteous Servant justifie many i.e. He shall defend the Cause and plead in the behalf of many and you must consider 1. That the Father justifies us as the soveraign Act of his own Free Grace in appointing of Christ and in accepting of him in our stead and that to satisfie his Justice who is the great and holy Judge he being also our offended Creator and our offended Creditor You must consider 2. The Son as our Surety justifies us through his own Free Grace in paying off all our Debts and satisfying the Creditor But 3. Take this Caveat by the way we must not divide the matter of our Justification these must not be separated the
have been bruised our selves And he was oppressed the Hebrew word imports he was exacted But 3. This doth further appear because it is said he was made Sin for us who knew no Sin tho' he had no Sin inherent in him yet our Sins stuck to him by Imputation 2 Cor. 5. ult He was made Sin for us that is 1. By a Metonomy of the cause for the Effect he bore the Sins of many i.e. the punishment due to the Sins of many vide 1 Pet. 2.24 Who his own self bâ—re our Sins in his own Body on the Tree c. Nay if he was not guilty of our Sins by Imputation he had never bore our punishments Who his own self bore our Sins in his own own Body on the Tree c. i. e. the punishment so well as the Sin imputed he bore it for us in his own Body on the Tree he was made Sin for us who knew no Sin 2. To hold forth a Sacrifice for Sin he was made a Sacrifice for Sin for our Sin Our Crimes did all meet in him and were all charged on Christ and he was to satisfie for them there had been no need for his bearing punishment if had not Sin in him or Sin imputed to him Now he had none inherently in him but he had the Sins of all the Elect imputed to him Therefore as I say our Sins are charged on him and he satisfied for them not as the Socinians foolishly and simply cavil who say Christ was made Sin to signifie that the World esteemed him a Sinner I say it is not so the 2 Cor. 5.21 overthrows this Sence utterly for as our being made Righteous thro' Christ is not that the World looks upon us to be Righteous but in a Law Sense in God's account we are constituted thro' Christ so to be and so Christ was substituted by the Father in our stead and in a Judicial Sence is charged with our Sins But 4. That Christ's Sufferings was in our room and stead appears yet further because he suffered for us Rom. 4. ult Who was delivered for our Offences c. How Why into the Hands of Justice For what For our Offences Rom. 5.8 Christ dy'd for the Ungodly i. e. He died in the room and stead of Ungodly Men and Women Such that were wicked in themselves see Rom. 8.32 speaking of God the Father saith the Apostle Who spared not his own Son but delivered him up for us all How for us all Why for all of us that are concerned and interested in the Covenant made betwixt the Father and the Son the Just for the Unjust to bring us to God 1 Pet. 3.18 The just Person he suffered and that in the room and stead of the unjust and that on purpose that we might be Reconciled to God Tit. 2.14 Who gave himself for us c. 1 Tim. 2.6 Who gave himself a Ransom for us c. He gave himself he yeilded up himself that he might suffer in our stead and to Ransom and deliver us from suffering I lay down my Life for the Sheep saith Christ John 10.15 I freely offer my self to the stroke of Justice for my Sheep and again saith he This is my Body which is broken for you Alas his Body was broken for our Sins Mark my Beloved it is not for our Good only as Christ did die as some say He gave himself for us that is say they for our Good to purchase or procure an easie Law that by keeping it we might be Justified No no not for our Good only but in our room also For scarcely for a good Man will one dare to die i. e. Die in his room die to save his Life But 5. It further appears that Christ's Suffering was in our room because it is said he bore our Sins Isa 53. Now in all the Old Testament where God threatens they shall bear their Sins it is meant the punishment of their Sins Vide Levit. 20.18 19 20. and 22.9 Least they bear their Iniquity for it and die Now Christ is said to bear our Sins in his own Body our Sins stuck to him by Imputation 6. It further appears Because Christ is said to be a Propitiation for our Sins 1 Joh. 2.2 A Propitiation for our Sins what is that Why one that has made Attonement for our Sins that hath offered a Sacrifice Holy and Acceptable and so made Attonement to pacifie God's wrath like as Jonah when he was cast into the Sea Now Jonah was a Type of Christ Jonah and the Company that was in the Ship was in a groat storm and they could not tell what to do in their great strait but at last they conclude that he that was guilty should die and Jonah was found out and he was cast into the Sea and there became a great Calm Now do you see we are all in a dismal case by nature under the Wrath of God and Jesus Christ is our Jonah and all our Sins stick at him and God's Wrath cannot be satisfied till he is cast into the Sea and he was thrown into the Deluge of Wrath He is I say our Jonah to appease God's Wrath. 7. This doth further appear because we are said to be Redeemed with the Blood of Christ bought with that price 1 Pet. 1.18 19. See 1 Cor. 6. ult to be Redeemed by Blood to save our Lives by one dying in our stead all know the purport of that We my Beloved were in Prison and Captivity and were condemned to die and Christ to Redeem us died in our stead and thus we are said to be Redeemed thus we pay our Debts and thus we satisfie the Law He gave his Life to what end For a Ransom for many 8. By the Sacrifices under the Law it appears that we are Reconciled by Christ's Death and not by our Obedience not by Evangelical Obedience or his Obedience to Evangelical Rules Thus from all it appears that Christ died not for our Good only but in our room and stead also tho' some conclude that Christ died not to fulsil the Law which Man had broken nor to satisfie as our Surety But that he fulfill'd the peculiar Law of the Mediator so far as to bring in easier terms of Life by way of Evangelical Obedience But let me speak a little by way of Application and so conclude at this time 1. O Saint Look up and take a view behold how Justification is by Christ alone O see what Free Grace runs in this Channel 1. That he that was God as well as Man should become our Ransomâ— 2. That rather than we should perish he would die for us in ouâ— room and stead 3. And this he did for us while we were Enemies and 〈◊〉 4 Nothing could move him to do it but his own Love 〈◊〉 Grace and meer Pity But 2. Sinners see what Love this is will you not receive this Christ is not this Christ worthy of your Embrace Is not he worthy of your Love Is
to the Giver 2. It doth denote God's dealing with us according to that which is so made ours even by Imputation God deals with us about this Righteousness in the same manner as this Righteousness is made ours by Imputation not by infusing Grace into us Beloved there is an Imputation Foederally or by Virtue of a Covenant Relation by which one Person is constituted as a common Head So the Sin of Adam was and is imputed to all his Posterity because Adam was constituted as a common Head and did personate all his Posterity and thus Christ the Second Adam being appointed our Covenant Head his Righteousness is accounted to all his Seed 2 Tim. 1.9 there we find that the Lord Jesus is our Head and he is intrusted with our all who hath saved us and called us with an holy Calling here Justification goes before Vocation Well but may some say It was for our Works no not according to our Works how then Why according to his own purpose and Grace which was given us in Christ Jesus before the World began given us in Christ how so Why Christ was first our Covenant Head and was constituted from Eternity there was an Eternal Compact between the Father and the Son and the Father gave us to his Son and Christ did purpose to act and do for us that by which we are Justified now I say this was given us in Christ When was it given us in Christ When was it stor'd up in Christ and promised to Christ for us Was it when he came into the World after he was born of the Virgin Mary No it was before the World began that it was given to us in Christ and he is God and he was from the beginning John 1.1 2 3. All things were made by him and without him was not any thing made that was made Christ I say was constituted and appointed by the Father as our Covenant-head therefore as he did engage in the Eternal Compact before time so he did faithfully perform what he had promised to the Father in time He made compleat satisfaction for our Sins yea bore our Sins in his own Body on the Tree Pray see Phil. 18. where St. Paul writing to Philemon concerning Onesimus saith thus If he hath wronged thee or oweth thee ought put that on my Account Now do you see we have wronged God we have broken his Law and now the Lord Jesus Christ comes in and saith to Justice if he oweth thee ought put that to mine Accompt so saith St. Paul If he oweth thee ought or hath wronged thee put that on my Accompt Well Paul if it be put on thy Accompt thou must pay all the Debt Well saith he I Paul have written it with my own-Hand I will repay it v. 19. So the Lord Jesus entred into Convenant with the Father for us and did it as it were say I will repay it and he did so and made a full Satisfaction to Divine Justice for the Sins of all the Elect so we have a notable passage of Judah's to Jacob his Father concerning Benjamin Gen. 43.9 I will be Surety for him then Judah thou must expect that he will be required at thy Hand Well Well at my Hands thou shalt require him if I bring him not again c. Now do you see the Father gave to Christ all that shall be saved and Jesus Christ he stands in our room and is our Surety and Christ like Judah saith as it were to the Father thou shalt require them of me If I bring them not to thee vide John 6.37 All that the Father giveth unto me shall come unto me so John 10.28 I give them saith he Eternal Life and they shall never perish neither shall any pluck them out of my Hands Pâ—ay take notice the Lord Jesus Christ is our Surety and hath us all in his Hands and he hath engaged with the Father for all his People he takes on him the Persons of the whole Church that hath sinned and answered for them Beloved as the first Adam's Sin was Imputed to all his Posterity so the Righteousness of the second Adam the Lord Jesus Christ is imputed to all his 2 Cor. 5. ult He hath made him to be Sin for us who know no Sin that we might be made the Righteousness of God in him Here are two things to be considered 1. The Non-Imputation of Sin to us for as our Sins stuck to Christ by Imputation so we are discharged from them by Imputation of Christ's perfect Righteousness and this is a blessed State for those that are Interested in this Righteousness of Christ have 1. No Sin imputed to them tho' there be Sin inherent in them yet there is none imputed to them 2. Another thing is to considered even the Imputation of the perfect and compleat Righteousness of Christ for as there is the non-Imputation of Sin so there 〈◊〉 the Imputation of a perfect Righteousness so then God doth not look on us as guilty of any Sin for that was put on Christ but he looks on us as perfectly Righteous thro' Christ's perfect Obedience so the great thing we are to know is this viz. how we come to have actually the Righteousness of Christ imputed to us and 1. We must consider this is according to the nature of that eternal Covenant between the Father and the Son 2. We should consider Christ as he and his whole Mystical Body are but one Now when as you marry a person his Riches are yours so when you have actual or personal Union with Christ by the Holy Spirit then his Righteousness is actually yours and you are then freed from all your Debts I do not say but we were virtually free before the Lord Jesus did lay down a plenary Satisfaction long ago for all the Elect yet are not we actually free from Sin nor actually or personally Justified till we are actually united to Christ For to say that we are actually Justified and actually possess'd of this thing and the o her thing before we have a Being is as much as if we should set a Seal to a Blank paper Now therefore consider I say that when we have actual Union with Christ by the Holy Spirit then his Righteousness is actually ours and we then are actually freed from all our Debts and this is evidenced to us by Faith which is the Fruit of the Spirit True this was given us in Christ our Head before the World began the Father did strike Hands with the Son in that Eternal Compact and there was an agreement that this should be ours but Christ was nor exhibited in the Flesh till in time tho' he was a Lamb slain from before the foundation of the World in the purpose of God yet in time was he exhibited and in time did actually keep the Law and did suffer Death for the Breach of it then we were virtually Justified and freed from God's wrath and intitled to Glory but we could not nor