Selected quad for the lemma: reason_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
reason_n	law_n	sin_n	transgression_n	2,676	5	10.9658	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A50251	The summe of certain sermons upon Genes. 15.6 vvherein not only the doctrine of justification by faith is asserted and cleared, and sundry arguments for justification before faith, discussed and answered : but also the nature and the meanes of faith, with the imputation of our sins to Christ, and of Christs righteousness to us are briefly explained and confirmed / preached at Dorchester in New-England by Richard Mather ... ; and now by him published at the earnest request of sundry well-affected and Godly Christians.	Mather, Richard, 1596-1669.	1652 (1652)	Wing M1276; ESTC W18271	50,747	60

himself any punishment deserved by them it is manifest that the phrase of bearing sinn or bearing iniquity can have no such meaning but that it signifies to bear the punishment deserved by sinn as where it is said of such such offenders that they shall bear their iniquity Lev 20. 17. 5. 1. that every one shall bear his own burden Gal. 6. 5. 5. 10. and that the sonn shall not bear the iniquity of the father nor the father the iniquity of the sonn Ezek 18. 20. can any man imagin that here to bear iniquity should signifie to bear it away from himself or from another If any could so do there were no evill in such a bearing but that were a lawfull yea a commendable and blessed bearing of another mans sin But the text speaks of bearing iniquity in an other sence wherin no man shall bear the iniquity of another but every man bear his own burden his own sin that is the punishment of his sin Therfore inasmuch as the Lord Jesus bare our sinns he bare the punishment due by them they being imputed to him for that end 3 Christ was made a curse for us Gal. 3. 13. and this implies that he bare the punishment of sin for us for to be made a curse or to be cursed is alwayes used in that sence Math 25. 41. 2 Pet 2. 14. Gal. 3. 10. 4 Christ was a ransom or a price of redemption for us Math 20. 28. 1 Tim: 2. 6. 1 Cor 6. 20. and this doth imply that the punishment of our sinns was laid upon him 5 Christ was a sacrifice for us or for our sinns Heb 9. 26 28. 10. 12. John 1. 29. Math 26. 28. And inasmuch as all the sinns of the people were put laid upon the sacrifice Lev 16. 15 16 17. vers 21 22. Lev 10. 17. therfore this implies and teacheth that all our sins were imputed to Christ the punishment of them laid upon him 6 What can be more plain then what is written in Isai 53. 6. 2 Cor 5. 21. he was made sinn for us God hath laid on him the iniquity of us all But how can this stand with justice that our sinns should bee imputed to Christ and he be punished for them can it stand with justice that one should be punished for anothers sin and the innocent for the guilty Yes there is no injustice at all in it that the surety be responsible for the debt as Philem 18. Paul becoming surety for Onesimus saith to Philemon put that on my account let it bee imputed to mee let me answer pay it Now Christ was our surety Heb 7. 22. More particularly thus it is no wayes unjust that one be punished for the sin of another when the things here following do all concur 1 When all that are concerned in it are willing and do consent 2 When there is a neer relation and union between the offender and the sufferer 3 When the sufferer hath free dominion over that from which he parteth in his sufferings for another 4 When he hath power to break through and overcome all his sufferings and to reassume his former condition again 5 When this way is not to the dishonour of any but for the greater honour glory of all And so it is in all the particulars when the Lord Jesus did suffer for us But if God do not graunt forgiveness attonement righteousness without the punishment of our sinns laid on Christ and suffered by him where then is there any Grace or Mercy in our salvation For it seems God doth not save us without satisfaction to himself Yet there is much grace mercy in our salvation notwithstanding what is here said for 1 It is mercy to us though it be merited by Christ 2 It was great grace and mercy to accept of satisfaction from another for the rigour of the Law would not allow of this but exacts satisfaction from the sinner himself in his own person And therfore there was in it great grace to us that God by his soveraign power would in this point dispēce with the rigour of the Law 3 It was yet a point of father grace and mercy that he himself would find out this remedy this way of salvation by another For we our selves could never have found out such another nor could any other creature have found it out for us So that though justice be satisfied and punishment be suffered yet our salvation is of free grace and mercy notwithstanding Justice and Mercy most sweetly concurring in our salvation by Christ Jesus If then the righteousness of Christ be imputed to us What was that righteousness of Christ that is imputed Such a righteousness as man now oweth to yeild perform unto God and that is two-fould 1 Passive in a way of suffering penalty or punishment for his transgression this every sinner doth owe to God by the sentence of his just Law which requireth that the sinner be accu●…sed and suffer death for his sinn Gal. 3. 10. Rom 6. 23. 2 A sinner oweth obedience de novo and is still bound to obey the Law though he must when he hath satisfied for former breaches It stands not with reason that paying the penalty threatned for transgression hee should therby becom lawless or free from thenceforth from the debt duty of obedience which the Law requireth And this being the righteousness that a sinner oweth this therfore is the righteousness which Christ performed for us and which is imputed to us for our justification even both his active passive obedience Therfore it is said that he fulfilled all righteousness Math 3. 15. even all that the Law requireth of fallen man whether it bee suffering or doing both which seen to be comprehended in that one saying Phil 2. 8. that Christ humbled himself and became obedient even to death the death of the cross which place implyes that there is an obedience which falls short of death and an obedience in suffering death and that Christ for our sakes in our steed performed both In which respect also it is that he is said to bee the end of the Law for righteousness Rom 10. 4. Now the end of the Law is perfect righteousness in doing what is commanded and in suffering punishment in case of sin transgression and so Christ being the end of the Law hath therfore performed both these things for us which the Law requireth of sinners viz to do what it cōmanded and to suffer what is due for sinn If this righteousness be imputed to us doth it not then follow that we are as righteous as Christ and that every believer is a redeemer and saviour of others for Christ was so This will not follow at all and the reasons are 1 Because the sin of Adam is impated to all the sonn of Adam and yet every son of Adam is not a cause fountain of

faith was now more confirmed Hee having lately been in some pang of grief through want of children verse 2 3. as the Disciples of Christ are often said to believe upon some new confirmation of their faith though they were believers before Joh 2. 11. 16. 30 31. So Joh 4. 50 53. And another reason considering the time when this is recorded might be this namely To shew that justification is never by the works of the Law but still by faith though a man be adorned enriched with many excellent works for so was Abram afore this time witness his Piety in building Altars calling on the name of the Lord Gen 12. 7 8. 13 4 18. His Religious care in instructing his family those 318 trayned ones or catichised ones as some render the word chap 14. 14. His Charitie Humility that would have no falling out between Lot him and that would condescend farr for peace sake chap 13. 8 9. and would hazard his own liberty life to rescue Lot out of captivity chap 14. 14. his contempt of riches and Care o●… the glory of God in refusing the goods of the King of Sodom chap 14. 23. All these were excellent Vertues good works in Abram and yet the Holy-Ghost tells us he was not justified by any of them but by believing Again it is observable that at this time Abram was not Circumcised for that Ordinance was not yet appointed till chap 17. yet now wee see he beleived in the Lord and so is justified to shew unto us that it was not by Circumcision nor any Ceremonies of the Law that he was justified but by faith onely and that he might be the Father of believers even amongst the Geutiles though they be not circumcised and that righteousness might bee imputed to them also as the Apostle argueth Rom 4. 9 10 11. Such weighty reasons there are why Abram at this time is said to believe in the Lord and to be justified therby albeit he were a believer and justified before This being said for the explication of the words wee may first observe from the words this Doctrine That it is by the Word Promises of God concerning salvation by Christ that men are brought to believe or to become true believers Or thus Iustifying saving Faith is wrought by the word of the Gospel as the meanes and instrument therof For God wee see gives forth his gracious Gospel-promises unto Abram the effect of them is this Abram therby believeth in the Lord Other Scriptures do testifie the same Acts 15. 7. Rom 10. 14 15. 17. Ephe 1. 13. Acts 14. 1. Genes 12. 1 1 3 4 5. Therfore is the word called the word of faith Rom 10. 8. because it is by it that faith is wrought Those three thousand in Acts 2 were brought to believe by the word Gospel of God which was preached to them by Peter Regeneration is by the word Jam 1. 18. 1 Pet 1. 23. and the Spirit is also received by the same meanes Gal 3. 2. and therfore faith is by the word also The reason of the consequence is because wheresoever Regeneration is wrought and the Spirit of grace is bestowed there saving faith can net be wanting For the explication of this point it may first of all be demanded What is the Gospel It is the Doctrine of salvation by Christ or of blessedness in Christ that part of the word of God which concerneth Remission of sinns and Life everlasting by Christ Jesus May not faith be wrought by the Law Not by the Law alone for the Law is not of faith Gal 3 12. The Law directly reveals no Christ nor any salvation for sinners but the curse only Gal 3. 10. And inasmuch as faith cannot goe beyond the word therfore by the Law alone there can be no faith to believe any thing farther then the curse Yet nevertheless the Law is of necessary use to prepare the heart for faith For Christ is the end of the Law as the Apostle speakes Rom 10. 4. and if so then the Law is a meanes unto Christ It shewes unto a man his sinn Rom 3. 20. 7. 9 10. and the wrath of God deserved thereby Rom 4. 15. and herupon through the spirit of bondage begets fear dread in the secure heart Exod 20. 18 19. Rom 8. 15. Which things are requisite to the begetting of faith in Christ because without these the sinfull so●…l will never believe in nor come to him for righteousness as not feeling its need Joh 5. 40. Rom 10. 3. But what is the work of the Gospel in the begetting of faith First it presents to the sinfull lost so●…l Christ the Saviour with the worth fulnes that is in him Joh 3. 16. Acts 13. 38 39. 1 Tim: 1. 15. Secondly it encourageth the poor lost soul to come to Christ to believe on him and to receive him in the promises of Mercy Math 11. 28. Joh 6. 37. 2 Cor 5. 20. Isai 55. 1 2 3. 61. 1 2 3 But many have the word and yet never attain to faith What may be the reason herof What is here said is most true indeed many heard by the Apostles yea by Christ himself and yet were never brought to believe The reason waerof is because the word of it self can not do it without the work of God himself by his spirit Paul of himself is nothing Apollos nothing nor any other minister of the Gospel bút God it is that worketh all 1 Cor 3. 5 6 7. Paul preached to Lidia others but it was the Lord that opened her heart savingly to attend to what was spoken Acts 16. 14. And God as he is bound to none so he sees cause not to give his Grace to all no nor to all that do injoy the meanes that so they to whom his grace is given may see themselves the more indebted for it and that it is not them selves nor the word of it it self that could ever have brought them to believe but that God himself hath done it of his free grace Math 13. 11. Acts 18 27. But if the word be the means of faith what shall become of Infants Idiots deaf people that cannot make use of the means The doctrine speakes only of the ordinary usuall way As for these that are spoken of the Lord can work in them by other meanes either by the sight of the eye as in such as can read or if all outward means fa●… ●…e can work by his Spirit alone in the heart and soul inwardly If any ask What should be the reason that when God worketh faith he should ordinarily usually do it by his word and not otherwise The answer is That his Wisdom hath so appointed seen meet and therwith wee should rest our selves contented satisfied It is his pleasure to save men by preaching 1 Cor 1. 21.