so Why Faith is an Act of the Creature to believe is an Creature tho' we do it by Grace Inherent yet it is the Creature himself that Believes Faith is called a Work it is Faith that worketh by Love and Love is called a Labour or work of the Creature and so other Graces as they are Acts and improved by the Creature it is the work of the Creature so then if it were so that we were Justified by a Righteousness Inherent then we were Justified by Faith as an Act and so the Active and Passive Obedience or perfect Righteousness of Christ would be Excluded in point of Justification as the matter of it and our own good Works would be put in the room thereof The Quakers say That they are Justified by living up to the Light within why say we then you expect to be Justified by Works Hold you there say they for we cannot do any Works but it is God by his mighty power that worketh in us both to will and to do It is the work of Christ in us it is the work of the Holy Spirit in us this is our Righteousness this Justifies us Now pray take notice it salls out then thus the Spirit as they call it is as a Leader and Guide as an Enlightener and it enlighters the Understanding informs the person of his Duty and by its powerful Operations it inclines the Will Now grant this that therefore the person is willing and desirous to do the things that are good and commendable and this produces good Thoughts and good Words and moral good Actions Now what is this but to say that the Spirit teaches me to think well and so enabling me to speak well and to act well now this is as much as to say the Spirit teaches me to save my self for it is my Heart that thinks my Tongue that speaks and my Actions that spring forth in my Life and Conversation so that which Justifieth the Quakers must be their good Works which we deny Now I say in this case if it were so then we are justified by our own Works for as much as the Exercise of all Grace is our own Work it is we Believe it is we Love it is our Meekness it is our Humility nay it is a work if it be but the exercise of our Thoughts And now to be Justified by this is to be Justified by works but I have formerly told you that to Justifie doth not signifie 1. To make us inherently Righteous by infusing Grace or doing of Works of Righteousness 2. I have told you that we are Justified by the Grace of God through Christ without Respect had to any deserving Cause in us by Grace infused but this before-mentioned hath some Respect to some deserving Cause even our inward Righteousness but in Justification that which we speak of and by which all that are Justified must be Justified for there is no other that will discharge from the wrath of God and this comes thro' Christ without any regard had to any deserving cause in us by any Grace infused into us or by any good Works done by us 3. I told you it is by the Imputation of Christ's Righteousness to us namely the Righteousness done or performed by him when on the Earth in our nature that Righteousness is the matter and the form of it is the Imputation of it to us And 4. We hence have proved Works of what nature soever do not justifie us as causes of our being rendered Righteous before God to Justification No then what are good Works good for say some Why Works springing from effectual Faith are Fruits and signs of our Justification and so declare us to be Justified to the sight of Men and to our own Consciences and since I have proved that all works are excluded as done and performed by the Creature insomuch that there is nothing of the Creatures Sincerity nor inward Righteousness no not the least dram of it mixt with that Righteousness that is the matter of our Justification I shall now proceed to the second thing viz. 2. The Formal Cause of our Justification which as I have already told you is the Imputation of Christ's Righteousness to us this is the Formal Cause and I shall show what we mean by Imputation or the imputing Righteousness And my Beloved consider to have Righteousness or to be accounted Righteous as it may be taken is one thing and to have a Righteousness imputed or accounted to us is another thing for a Man amongst Men may be reckon'd and judged to be Righteous when there is no cause for such an Imputation for they may mistake and make no right judgment as you know some are counted Wise when they are Fools and some Rich when they are are Poor but this is thro' Mistake and Ignorance of Men so that Men may be reckoned to be that which they are not in Truth Now it is not reckoning a Man to be Righteous that is not Righteous for God doth not account them Righteous who have not a perfect Righteousness for if we have something that may be called a Righteousness yet if it be not a perfect Righteousness it is not agreeable to the nature of God nor the Sanction of his Law which doth require a perfect Righteousness God doth not reckon or repute a Man Righteous by an imperfect Righteousness such a one as is this Inherent Righteousness he doth not repute a Man Righteous for that nor doth he account any Righteous but such as are perfectly Righteous therefore he that is accounted Righteous must have a real and perfect Righteousness of anothers imputed to him as the foundation of that Reckoning or Imputation For God doth not reckon Righteousness to a Man without a just Ground not on an imperfect foundation wherefore the other Sense to reckon one perfectly Righteous who hath none but is ungodly is not the thing that we speak of But to have a perfect Righteousness that is none of our own before it is imputed to us is the thing that we contend for Consider my Beloved that to impute to us that which is not our own before or that which we had no Title to in our selves That Imputation doth denote two things 1. To impute that unto us to which we had no Title in our selves that Imputation doth denote a free Act of Grace and divine Donation so that this is made ours altogether freely paid and given us and this is that Righteousness by which we are Justified It is true a Man cannot think well nor speak well nor act well without a principle of Morality and this must come from God Man is not able in a natural way to move without some natural Life and this comes from God But the Righteousness which is made ours to which we had no Title in our selves nor are not in the least concerned in the working of that Righteousness is altogether of free Donation and the whole Glory of it is ascribed
he not worthy of your Heart and Lives and your all That parted with his Life and his all for you 3. Shall he die for your Sins and will you hugg and love your Sins Shall he bear your Sins And shall he be press'd down to death for your Sins and will you hugg that Knife that did let out the Heart Blood of your Saviour Will you make much of those things that are the Enemies of your Lord Jesus Christ Pray consider this A Plain and Familiar DISCOURSE ON Justification c. SERMON IV. 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 speak of the Material and Formal Causes of our Justification Matter and Form I told you most not be divided And my Beloved the matter or that which Justifies us according to the word of God is the Righteousness of Christ Ques But some may Query What Righteousness is this that you say is the Righteousness of Christ Is it the Righteousness of Christ as he is God Ans To which I answer no it is not the Righteousness of Christ as he is God 1. Because that is the Essential Righteousness of the God-head and if we were Justified by that we should also be deified 2. It is not the Righteousness of Christ as he is God because the essential Righteousness of God being his Essence cannot be communicated to any Creature 3. If it were by the Righteousness of the God-head then it would follow that it is the Righteousness of the whole Trinity and then it may be as well said that we are Justified by the Righteousness of the Father and by the Righteousness of the Holy Ghost as by the Righteousness of the Son But 2. It is therefore positively the Righteousness of Christ as Mediator namely as he is God-Man the Righteousness he performed for us in the days of his Flesh while he lived for us upon the Earth this is by St. Paul call'd the Righteousness of God Rom. 10.3 For they being ignorant of the Righteousness of God went about to establish their own Righteousness c. I will give you the Reasons why it is called the Righteousness of God And 1. Because this Righteousness of the Lord Jesus Christ which is his Active and Passive Obedience which he acted and suffered for us in our room and stead I say this Righteousness is called the Righteousness of God because it was a Righteousness found out by the infinite Wisdom of God and that to this very end and purpose that we might be Justified and defended from divine Wrath and the Curse of the Law to which we had made our selves liable by our Sins It was I say a Righteousness found out by the Infinite and all-wise God for us after we had lost our original Righteousness 2. Because it is the Righteousness of him that was truly God so well as Man He being in the form of God thought it no Robbery to be equal with God and therefore saith he I and the Father are one 3. Because it is not the Righteousness of a meer Creature the Lord Jesus was God as well as Man and therefore his Righteousness is not the Righteousness of a meer Creature but the Righteousness of God-man therefore it is called the Righteousness of God that it may be distinguished from the Righteousness of a Creature and because it is not our own Inherent Righteousness I say therefore it is call'd the Righteousness of God because it is to be found only in God man but to us it is Imputed and not Inherent it is not our Righteousness which are meer Creatures therefore it is called the Righteousness of God Rom. 10.3 For they being Ignorant of the Righteousness of God and going about to establish their own Righteousness have not submitted themselves unto the Righteousness of God Why what doth he mean by the Righteousness of God You 'll see in the next words ver 4. For Christ is the end of the Law for Righteousness to every one that believeth therefore God's Righteousness here is that that was fulfill'd by Christ while he was upon the Earth How so Why because Christ did perfectly and compleatly keep the Law maintain its Sanction and Holiness how do you prove that may some say Why it appears by the very next verse v. 5. For Moses describeth the Righteousness which is of the Law that the Man which doth these things shall live by them Now this is equivolent to the forgoing verse Christ Jesus he is the end of the Law for Righteousness because he did do those things perfectly and compleatly did he keep the Law and so brought in a Righteousness by his Obedience for our Use and Advantage 4. It is called the Righteousness of God because it is a Righteousness approved and accepted as well as appointed by the holy God God the Father hath accepted this Righteousness he is fully satisfied with it he is well pleased with his Son Jesus Christ i.e. in his Obedience and Conformity to his Will therefore it is called the Righteousness of God because it is a Righteousness that pleaseth God and that God accepteth of for the Good of us and in the Behalf of us But further to prove the third thing viz. That the material Cause of our Justification is that Righteousness by which Christ did fully and compleatly answer the demands of Justice to every Jot that it is this Righteousness and not Inherent Righteousness How do you prove that say some That it is not Inherent Righteousness Why if we are Justified by Inherent Righteousness then it would follow 1. That the Formal Cause of our Justification is by infusing a Righteousness and not by Imputation it would follow then that a Righteousness implanted in us and not imputed to us is the Cause of our Justification 2. It would then follow that if we were Justified by Grace Inherent it would be by a Complication of Graces and not by Faith only which would antiquate that Text Rom. 4.5 But to him that worketh not but believeth on him that Justifieth the ungodly his Faith is counted for Righteousness But this would be I say not only Faith but the Grace of Love and the Grace of Humility and the Grace of Long Suffering the Grace of Meekness and Temperance together with the Grace of Faith 3. If it were by a Righteousness Inherent in us then it would follow that Faith would not be Imputed or accounted to us for Righteousness in respect of the object Jesus Christ but Faith would be accounted to us for Righteousness as a holy Act or divine Grace in us together with other Graces 4. If it were by a Righteousness Inherent then also it would follow that Works may as well be said to be our actual Righteousness to Justification as Inherent Grace How
some Sence the whole Body is discharged And that before the Believer acts Faith in Christ though not in every Sence for if that were not the whole of the Capitulation between the Father and the Son then there is something farther to be considered Now we must have Faith in this Satisfaction therefore it was decreed and design'd that Jesus Christ should die and as he shook Hands with the Father in the Covenant of Grace for I don't know of three Covenants as he shook Hands I say with the Father in the Covenant of Grace or Redemption to die and purchase for all the Elect a Ransom and procure them the favour of God so likewise it was designed by the Father that he should die to procure them Faith and every thing else relating to their Salvation So that the case lies here though Jesus Christ did pay the Debt a great while ago and the Sinner was discharged so far that it was impossible for God to speak with reverence to condemn one of those Souls for whom Christ died Yet these were not capable of Embracing this nor knowing this nor improving this Justification till such time that they had Faith by which they did see into this and apply it unto themselves So it is here like as a Purchase is laid down for Slaves in Turkey the Money is first paid down and accepted of though for a considerable time they may not know that they are Redeemed I say so it is here respecting us in being since Christ's Death there is a difference between the thing done and the Declaration of it So then pray take notice there may be this also considered Suppose a Prince shall declare all the Province shall come in and kiss his Hand though he at the same time will draw and incline them to do it Yet he declares they shall first come 〈◊〉 kiss his Hand and acknowledge his Benefits 〈…〉 to be Justified so it is here Faith kissing as 〈…〉 God acknowledges his Benefits in Jesus Christ and this 〈…〉 in the Soul be the holy Spirit the third Person in the blessed Trinity For as the Father design'd such a number should be savâ—d and gave tâ—â—m to his Son and Jesus Christ the Son of God taketh Charge of them and redeems them so here is the third Person in the Trinity that brings them unto and in to the Son Now the case lies here not only doth the Father Elect and the Son die but the Holy Ghost is concerned in the Revelation of the Mind and Will of God to them so that God hath chosen us in Christ and Christ hath Redeemed us and the Holy Spirit in time comes and shows this to us rectifies our Judgment inclines our Will and makes us willing to cast and venture our Souls on this Satisfaction And this Faith is owning his Grace in the Surety for it was God my Beloved who found out the Surety it was he even the Father that did make him the Head of the Body of the Elect. It was he that did six on this Medium that we should believe before we should be declared Just in our own Consciences for that thing that was done a great while ago must be evidenced and applied to us But thus much as to what Justification is III. I am to prove that Justification is wholly of the free Grace of God through the Redemption that is in Jesus Christ which that I may the better do I told you I should open each cause of Justification in order namely 1. The Efficient Cause of our Justification 2. The Meritorious Cause of it 3. The Material Cause of it 4. The Formal Cause of it 5. The Applying Cause of it 6. The Final Cause of all And by such time I have gone through these six Heads you may clearly see the nature of Justification 1. The first or Efficient Cause is God the Father the first Person in the Sacred Trinity and it is his free Grace and love to poor Sinners that is the moving Cause and this shall be proved 1. The way of Justification was found out by the Father it was the Contrivance of his Infinite Wisdom that he might be Just and yet Gracious that Sin might be punished and yet the Sinner acquited that Justice might be satisfied and yet we freely pardoned Rom. 3.26 To declare I say at this time his Righteousness that hemight be just and the Justifier of him which believeth in Jesus 2. Consider God is the Efficient Cause for God was at the Liberty of his own Will I mean the Father to choose whether he would find out a way to Justifie and save Mankind or the sallen Angels or leave them both this I say is to be considered 3. Consider God did not foresee any thing in Man which did oblige to it which did induce him to six on this great design he could see nothing in Man Neither was there any thing in us to present to God by which prevail with him to shew us Mercy Rom. 5.7 8. For scarcely for a Righteous Man will one die yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die But God commendeth his Love towards us in that while we were yet Sinners Christ died for us so you see that God look'd on us as we were Sinners he did not foresee us as we were Righteous 4. Consider that God the Father offered or propounded if I may so say with Reverence this way of Justification of the Sinner to his own Son our Saviour in the Everlasting Covenant 5. Had not God the Father found out such a way of his mere Grace and Goodness Mankind had been for ever lost which we nor all the Angels in Heaven could not do We could not sind any Ransom Job 33.24 Then is he Gracious unto him and saith deliver him from going down to the Pit I have found a Ransom Where did God find out this Ransom Even in his own Bosom in his own Heart Christ came out of the Bosom of the Father Though Popish Expositors tell us thus I saith the Papist have found a Ransom i.e. I have sound his good Works I have found his Repentance I have found his Tears I have found his Prayers I have found his Alms-deeds and I see that in him which I saw not before for which cause I will justifie him O cursed Doctrin Now others amongst us say he hath humbled himself and I am satified But my Beloved alass and woe to us for all good Works Repentance Tears and Alms-deeds and Humiliation none of these are a Ransom No Christ is our Ransom and the price of our Redemption and this Ransom the Father found out for us Wisdom found him out Free Grace Bowels of Mercy and undeserved Love put Wisdom to work to find out this Blessed Ransom 6. To manifest farther the infinite Grace of God the Father consider the Costliness of our Ransom God had but one only Son in whom his Soul delighted and that lay in his Bosom
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