of God to pass rash hard judgment against them aâ—… to judg them to be dâ—…ed hypocâ—… vaya-glorious persons the troublers of Israel and the like The Psalmist couÌ„ted it a heinous thing to condemn the generation of Gods children Psal. 73. 15. and they that judg others with unjust and rash judgment may expect to be judged themselves Math. 7. 1. For those whom God doth justifie it is not for men to condemn them except they would be cross coâ—…trary unto God But if God do justifie his servants what need they to bee much troubled though the world do censure condemn them It is the judgment of God that must stand and he will not condemn them but hath already absolved cleared them Which made the Apostle to say with me it is a small thing to be judged of you or of mans judgment 1 Cor 4. 3. and the like comfort doth belong to every faithfull servant of God inasmuch as they are justified by the Lord what ever men may say or judg of them It is God thaâ—… justifieth who is he that condemâ—…th Rom 8. 33. Let us not then content our selves to have men to justifie us For though they excuse us say well think well of us all this is nothing if the Lord do not so also but the contrary Men are apt to think all well if others do judg well of them but especialy if professors of religion and the faithfull do approve of them then they care for no more But these should remember that it is God that justifieth and therfore the judgment of men should not be rested in as touching our spiritual estates before God this being considered withall that a Iudas may be no worse thought of by the true hearted Disciples of Christ then themselves and yet in very truth be no better then a Divel Sometimes the coveteous other wicked wretched sinners may be approved yea applauded of men though they be justly abhorred of God Psal. 10. 3. 49. 18. Content not our selves to be just in our own eyes or to justifie our selves For alas what will this avail us sith it is God that must justifie or else wee shall never be justified indeed whatever wee may conceive of our selves The Pharises were men that justified themselves before men but God knew their hearts and our Saviour tells them that things might be beautifull in the sight of men and yet be abominable in the sight of God Luke 16. 15. But the hâ—…ly Apostle was otherwise minded who would not justifie his own self knowing that he that judged him was the Lord 1 Cor 4. 4. It is our wisdom therfore to seek uÌ„to God in Christ for this benefit for he that is in himself a sinner his maine work lyes with God in heaven to seek at his hands the gracious benefit of remission and justification For who can clear a man but the Judg who can forgive the debt but the creditor The next conclusion or doctrine that these words afford is this That It is by Faith by the grace of believing that men câ—… to bee justified or to be accounted righteous in the sight of God Wee see Abram believed in God and it was imputed to him for righteousness which example is often mentioned by the Apostles to shew that justification is by faith only and not by works Rom 4. 3. 23 24. Gall 3. 6. Jam. 2. 23. and as it was with Abram so is it with all the children of Abram that they are all justified by the same meanes even by faith in Iesus Christ Rom. 4. 5 9 11. 3. 22 30. 10. 4. Gal. 2. 16. 3. 8 9 22. Philip 3. 9. Heb 11. 7. Here it will be needfull to shew how it is that wee are justified by faith For it is so plentifully expressly witnessed in Scripture that justification is by faith that it were gross ignorance or impudence to deny it But in what sence this is to be understood and in what manner this is done there the apprehensions of men do very much vary For some help therfore to the clearing of this point observe these propositions following 1 Faith doth not justifie as it is a work or vertue in us Reas 1 All works of ours are excluded in this business so that faith works are constantly opposed in the matter of justification Rom. 3. 28. Gall 2. 16. and therfore faith must not here be considered as a work of ours for then it must be excluded as all other works must Reas 2 Faith is so considered in our justification as that it may stand with free grace Rom 4. 16. Ephes. 2. 8. therfore it must not be considered as a work of ours because grace works are opposite and can not stand together Rom. 11. 5 6. Reas 3 Wee can not be justified but by that which is exact entire perfect righteousness for God must be just in justifying Rom. 3. 26. but how could he be so if he should justifie us otherwise then by a righteousness which is exact perfect his judgment is according to truth Rom. 2. 2. so that he will not cleare the guilty Exâ—…d 34. 7. Now our faith is imperfect and not so exact perfect as it ought to be Mark 9. 24. Luke 17. 5. 2 Pet. 3. 18. and therfore by a faith as a vertue or work of ours we can not be justified 2 Faâ—… 〈◊〉 not justifie properly as if the very act of believing ipsâ—… credere {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} were the matter of our righteousness or the very thing by which we stand righteous in the sight of God Reas 1 The righteousness by which we are justified is of faith by faith through faith Phili 3. 9. Rom 3. 30. and therfore it is not our faith it self Reas 2 The righteousness wherby we are justified is not our own Phil. 3. 9. rom 10. 3. But our faith is our own though wrought in us by the Holy-Ghost Therfore we have these expressions in Scripture his own faith thy faith my faith Hab 2. 4. Jam 2. 18. Reas 3 The thing that must justifie us must be a perfect righteousness as was shewed before else how shall God be just in justifying us therby but our faith as was shewed afore is imperfect In this the tenent of the Arminians is more injurious to the Lord then that of the Papists For the Papists hold that truely that God justifies by perfect righteousness only herin is their great errour that they think this perfect righteousness may be found in our selves in our works or our faith c But the Arminians would have God to justifie man without any perfect righteousness at all but to accept his imperfect faith in steed therof Reas 4. Jesus Christ in his obedience is our righteousness Ier 23. 6. 1 Cor 1. 30. 2 Cor 5. 21. rom 5. 19. 10. 4. And therfore to make faith it self
righteous then neither was he nor can any other be accounted righteous before believing But the former of these is abundantly restified in the Scriptures of truth Rom 3. 22 23 30. 4. 2 3 22 23. Galla 2. 16. and therfore the latter is true also We may be Iustified before faith yet be said to be justified by faith namely declaratively faith declaring assuring to us that wee are justifyed before we are said to be Iustified by faith because we know by faith that we are Iustified This cannot be the meaning of that saying we are justified by faith For 1 Then we may in that sence be said to be Iustified by any other grace as well as by faith yea by works of grace as well as by faith because these are evidences of our Iustification witness 1 Iohn 2. 3 4 29. 3. 7 10 14. James 2. 14. c For example by love to the bretheren wee know wee are translated from death to life and so are Iustified shall any man now say that wee are Iustified by love to the brethren that were directly to contradict the Scripture which saith we are not Iustified by works And yet if to be Iustified mean no more but to know we are Iustified then we may say indeed that we are Iustified by works which the Apostle doth so plainly largely gainsay And therfore to be justified by faith hath a farther meaning then only that we are Iustified 2 By the like reason we might say that the world was created by faith which were a very absurd saying and yet it is most true that by faith we understand or knâ—… that the world was created by the word of God Heb 11. 3. And by the like reason wee might say that wee are Elected by faith for by saith wee may understaÌ„d and know our election The sumâ—… is though by faith we know our election the creation yet it were an improper speech and such as the Scripture never useth to say we are elected by faith or that the world was created by faith and in like sort it weâ—…e an improper speech and such as the Scripture would never have used to say wee are Iustified by faith if no 〈◊〉 had been ment hereby but only the knowledg of our Iustificatâ—…on God justâ—… the ungodly Rom 4. 5. and therfore such as have not faith That doth not follow 1 Because that very text saith these ungodly ones dâ—…d 〈◊〉 and that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 This expâ—…sition of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God Iâ—…tifieth to 〈◊〉 it of unbelievers is dâ—…tly 〈◊〉 to the Scripture which say that God Iustifieth those that do 〈◊〉 and have â—…aith Rom 3. 26 28 30. Acts 13. 39. and none others John 3. 18. 3 The ungodly one in this text is one that hath not fulfilled the righteousness of the Law and so to justifie the ungodly is no more but to justifie without the works of the Law or not by works which may be and yet not without faith 4 If wee shall extend the woâ—…d further then we must not take that saying in sensu composito but in sensu diviso that is not that he is now when God juâ—…es 〈◊〉 so â—…godly as to be without faith but that he was so heretofore thouâ—…h now God hath given him more grace As when it is said the laâ—…e man shall leap as an Hart and the dumb sing the blind sâ—… the deaf hear Isai 35. 6. Luke 7. 22. No man must herupon imagin that they did these things while they so remayned for that was utterly imposible that a lame man should leap as an Hart whilest he remained lame or a dumb man sing whilest he still remayned dumb and so of the rest but the meaning is they that were once lame dumb deaf should afterward be inabled to leap sing see hear these acts should be performed by such as had been such as is mentioned though now they were not such Wee may as well conclude from these texts that blind men may see while they continue blind so of the rest as tâ—… conclude from the text in hand that an ungodly man an unbeliever 〈◊〉 justified of God whilest he is an ungodly man an unbeliever When some rich man marryeth a poor beggar we say he married one that had scarce raggs to her back but the meaning is not that he married her in her raggs but bestowed on her fitting apparrell and so married her So God justifies the ungodly such as had neither faith nor any other grace but the meaning is not that he justifies them in their unbelief but bestows the grace of faith upon them and then Iustifies them In believing we do not believe an untruth but a truth and therefore it is a truth that we are Iustified afore we do believe It is true indeed that a man must be Iustified before hee can rightly believe himself to be Iustified but not before he believe on Christ for Iustification or unto righteousness A man can not rightly believe that he 〈◊〉 Iustified before he be Iustified for then he should therin believe a falshood nor can he be Iustified afore he do believe on Châ—…st for Iustâ—…cation The Scripture speakes little of man believing himself to be Iustified but much of bebelieving on Christ that he might be justified Gal 2. 16. Rom 20. 10. Now to believe on Christ is not an assurance or perswasion of being Iustified already but is that act of the soul of the will especially wherby a man comes to Christ receiveth Christ relyes on Christ chuseth Christ c that in him he might be justified and saved And when this is done then there is room for that other belief or perswasion of being Iustified already but not before according to that Ephe. 1. 13. after ye believed ye were sealed with that holy spirit of promise To beleive a mans self to be in a good and Iustified estate afore he have received Christ by faith what is it but the vain presumption carnal confidence of poor deluded soules as if a woman should perswade her self of title interest to a wealthy mans estate yet was never married to him Therfore afore a man can believe aright that he is justified he must first be united and married to Christ by believing on him and then therby he shall be justified indeed and so he may safely believe his justification All Gods people were justified when Christ made satisfaction for their sinns by his death resurrection Rom 4. 25. hâ—…e was raysed again for our â—…stification Now this was above 1600 years agoe and therfore long afore our believing It is true the death resurrectioÌ„ of Christ was long afore our believing and afore we were born into the world But what shall be said to Abram Isaak Jacob David and the rest of the Saints that lived long afore the Incarnation of Christ It can not be denyed but that they
THE SUMME OF CERTAIN SERMONS UPON Genes 15. 6. VVherin Not only the DOCRINE of JUSTIFICATION by FAITH is Asserted and Cleared And sundry Arguments for IUSTIFICATION 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 briefely Explained and Confirmed Preached at Dorchester in New-England by RICHARD MATHER Teacher to the Church there And Now by him Published at the earnest request of sundry well-affected and Godly Christians Printed by Samuel Green at CAMBRIDG in New-England 1652. THE Authors Preface to the Reader Christian Reader WHen these sermons were first preached in the ordinary course of my ministry on going forward on the book of Genesis I had no thoughts at that time that they should ever have been fâ—…rther published in this way that now thoâ—… seest But sundry Godly Christians Brethren having heard them delivered in preaching and thinking they might afterwards also bee usefull for the benefit of themselves and their familyes if they might enjoy them printed which they did very much desire they therefore came to mee with a serious solemn request that I would further and fulfill their earnest desires in this thing Against which motion though I alledged many objections 〈◊〉 they still continued to desire as formerly Wherupon at the last considering with my self that God who hath the hearts of all men in his hands might in mooving their hearts to such a desire have some farther â—…ntent therâ—… for his own glory and the good of some or other of his servants then I at the first did apprehend or could perceive I therupon began to consider further of the motion and having perused revised some brief notes which I had by me of those sermons I imparted to them a Copye therof yet with renuall of my former objections against printing and proposing to their consideration whether it might not be best to satisfie themselves with that writteâ—… copie and to let the printing alone But their desires continued as afore and thence it commes to pass that the sermons are committed to publick view Which I thus aquaint the Reader withall partly as some excuse for my self that I would publish such plain stuff as here is contâ—…ned in such a knowing and Criticall time as this is for the importunity of request hath compelled me thereto and partly that if any sober and honested hearted christian receive any benefit hereâ—…y hee may know to whom he is indebted for the same even chiefly to the Lord as the principall Author of all good and then unto those godly Christians who have been the instruments of bringing these sermons to be publick which had it not been through their importunity had never seen the light in this way I deny not but sundry of the things here treated of viz the grace of Faith Justification by faith and the Imputation of Christs Righteousness unto justification are mayn and principall points of christian religion and such as that the ignorance of them or erroneous apprehentioÌ„s about them can not but be very perilous in which respect it is the more needfull that the people of God should be established in the belief love of the truth concerning such points as these are And for this cause I the rather yeilded to publish what here thou seest being so importuned therunto as I have said if I might by the blessing of Christ afford any little help to the end afore mentioned And so much the rather because Satan that enemy of all truth father of lyes hath endevoured not only of old but of late also to corrupt the mindes of many people touching these things Heretofore and still amongst the popish sort he would perswade to an opinion of justification by works and not by faith only And now when the perniciousness of that Tenent begins to be more generally discerned he labours to undermine the truth another way instilling into the minds of some a conceit that they may be justified not only without their own works but also without the grace of faith And because it would be too gross at the first to cry down all use of faith which the Spirit of God in the holy Scripture doth so abundantly urge extoll and that therfore such a conceit at the first would hardly take amongst them that have any acquaintance with the Scripture therfore the crafty enemy allowes for the time that there may be some use of faith about this matter of justification viz to know or be assured by it of justification preceding and that though we are justified indeed afore faith yet wee did not know it afore but now do know it by faith A palpable perverting of the truth of God plainly and plenteously laid down in his word especially in Pauls epistles wherin you shall never read of knowing by faith that we are justified without faith or before faith Such language is a stranger in Gods book and amongst the oracles of God and far discrepant from the form of wholsom words wherin nothing is more frequent then that we are justified by faith Now to turn this word Wee are justified into this meaning wee know that we are justified in which sence it will be hard to find it so much as once used in any place where justification by faith is spoken of is a manifest metamorphosing of the words of the Holy one and a wresting of the Scripture I fear unto mens own destruction 2 Pet 3. 16. But do you think that Satan will rest here It is rather to be seared if this delusion takes place a while this use of faith which is yet allowed will be denyed also For some are already come to this to deny that there are any gifts or graces at all in the hearts of justified persons Which if it were true then there is no faith in them and if there be no faith then it is not by faith that men do know their justification for how can they know it by that which is not And â—…o as now they deny that men are justified by faith so when where this other delusion takes place to deny all inherent graces there men must hold that justification may not only be but also be known without faith or else not be known at all A lamentable dreadfull issue wherat Satan drives and whereto this opinion tends if God do not in mercy prevent And because this is a time wherin not only these but many other unsound opinions and some of them very pernicious are scattered abroad therfore I hope the godly Reader will bear with me if out of my unseyned desire of his salvation and of the honour of Jesus Christ and his truth I shall here propound some sew helps for a christians preservation in the truth from the prevailing power of errour And let not this be thought a needless buâ—…siness nor let any that loveth his own salvation give way to
uâ—…belief do exclude themselves as these texts do witness Joh. 3. 16. Rev 22. 17. Isai 55. 1. So that no man may say I know not whether I be elected whether God purpose any good to me c For the promise is general indefinite to whosoever will receive it by faith The freeness also of the promise should be considered Isai 55. 1. without moâ—…y without price What can be more free then gift that we may have mercy if wee will receive it God was not sought unto by fallen man for mercy but he provides a means of mercy of his own accord of his own love John 3. 16. which he had not needed to have done but that it so pleased him Which may answer the objection that the soul is wont to make against believing from its own unworthyness as not daring to believe on Christ unless it were more holy sanctified c If a King make love to a poor milk-maid and offer himself to her it is not for her to refuse put off the motion till shee be a Queen for if shee match with him he will make her a Queen though he do not find her one 4 It is usefull in this case to think much and consider seriously of him that makes the promise his Name and blessed Attributes Isai 50. 10. as his Power infinitely able to do what ever we need Rom 4. 21. 2 Tim: 1. 12. Math. 9. 28. Psal. 115. 3. So his Truth and Faithfulness that never did nor can deceive nor fayl to perform what ever he promiseth Heb 6. 18. 11. 11. So his Grace Mercy his Wisdom Goodness yea his very Justice it self might be helpfull in this case for being just he will not require satisfaction twice and once he hath received satisâ—…action in the sufferings and obedience of Christ To consider these Attributes of God might be very usefull helpfull in this case as it is said Psal. 34. 5. â—…ey looked unto him and were lighâ—…ned Bâ—…t one cause of the want or weakness of faith is that men look too much at creatures at sense at reason at their own baseness weakness unworthyness and look not sufficiently at God 5 A serious consideration of him through whom all the promises are accomplâ—…hed aâ—…d made good might be also helpfull in this matter and that is the Lord Jesus who is the mâ—…tour of that better Covenanâ—… established 〈◊〉 better promises then the old covenant was Heb 8. 6. Now in him there is 1 Aâ—…l fullneâ—… Col 1. 19. So that what ever we want it is fully to be had in him In hâ—… is Wâ—… Righâ—… Sâ—…tification and Redemption 1 Cor 1. 30. In him is life Iohn 14. 6 19. Wisdom Col. 2. 3. Righteousness Jer. 23 6. Pâ—…ace Ephe. 2. 14. the Spirit of Grace Holyness above â—…easure Iohn 3. 34. 1. 16. Favour with God Math 3. 17. Col. 1. 13. Power to conquer all the enemies of our salvation as being King of kings Lord of lords 1 Tim: 6. 15. Able to Succour in all Temptations Heb 2. 18. Mighty to Save Isai 63. 1. God having laid help upon him hath laid help upon one that is Mighty Psal. 89. 19. and able to save to the uttermost all that come to God by him Heb 7. 25. 2 And as there is in him all this Fullness so there is in him as much Freeness readiness to communicate of this his fulness unto them thâ—…t trust in him and sue to him When he was on earth he invited men to come to him and never any so did but they were holpen and his heart is still the same So that he hath not lost his mercy by receiving glory but is still a mercyfull high Priest on the behalf of poor sinners Heb 2. 17. So that such as come to him he will in no wise cast them away John 6. 37. Therfore let us look unto him Isai 45. 22. and seriously consider this Apostle high Priest of our profession Heb 3. 1. and as long as wee so do we shall do well but if we turn the ey of our mind from him then we fall sink through unbelief even as it were with Peter who as long as he kept his ey upon Christ he walked on the water as firmly as you could do on boards but when he looked too much on the winds and waves and kept not Christ in his ey then he began to sink Math 14. 30. 6 Lastly It is good to consider that to believe is not only lawfull but a necessary commanded duty and the contrary a very grievous sin Some say they could desire to believe if they thought they might May I dáre I saith the soul apprehend the promise and receive Christ may I do it which is as if one should say may I obey the Commandement of God may I do the will of God which ought not to be a question And sure it is God would gladly have yee to believe if it might be after him I speak of his revealed will in his word Else what means that protesting that hee delighteth not in the death of a sinner Ezek 33. 11. That beseeching men to be reconciled to God 2 Cor 5. 20. That Commanding men to believe 1 Iohn 3. 23. Commending rewarding such as do Math 15. 28. Threatning punâ—…shing the contrary Mark 16. 16. Iohn 3. 18 19 36. Heb 3. last And therfore wheras the poor soul saith dare I believe wee might rather meryeil how men dare refuse for this is to put horrible indignity upon God as if he ment not as hee sayes but deals deceltfully and falsly with poor sinners it is to make God a lyer 1 Iohn 5. 10. As if the God of Truth and Faithfullness had nothing to do but to dissemble and to deceive poor souls which should be an abhorring to our thoughts to imagin Consider then that obedience is better then complement yea better then sacrifice and faith is a singular kind of obedience Rom 1. 7. If therfore the question be what shall I do to be saved the answer from the Lord is beleive in the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved Acts 16. 30 31. And if the question be But how may I do to believe the answer is Cry mightily unto God the giver of faith that he would bless these and such like meanes for the working of this precious and needfull grace If justification be by faith then it is needfull for every soul to examin and try themselves whether they have this faith or no whether they be true believers or not For by this we are justified and without this faith we can not be justified nor have any well grounded assarance of eternal life See but that one Scripture John 3. 18 36. Hee that believeth hath everlasting lifâ—… hee that believeth not shall not see life but is con leâ—…ned alreaâ—…y and the wâ—…ath of God abideth on him and then tell me whether it be not needfull for men to try
never sinned 2 Faith is said to be imputed Rom 4. 5 9 22 23 24. And how is that meant when faith is said to be imputed There are two wayes how that is understood First of all when faith it self is said to be imputed that is to be imputed reckoned to us as our own though it be not our own any otherwise then as the gift and work of God in us according as it is said to be the gift of God Phil. 1. 29. Ephe. 2. 8. and that no man can come to Christ that is believe in him except he be drawn by the father Ioh. 6. 44. But yet when God hath given faith he then imputes and reckons this faith as ours though himself have wrought it in us And this may seem to be needfull to the end that Christ his righteousness which by faith we possess may be our own and imputed reckned to us as our own For though Christ righteousness be a perfect righteousness and we possess it by faith yet how can it be accounted ours unless faith it self the meanes of possessing it bee counted ours but when faith is accounted ours then the righteousness of Christ possessed by faith is accounted ours also If we take the imputing of faith in this sence then when faith is said to be imputed or counted for righteousness that particle for must not be so understood as if faith it self were in the room and steed of righteousness for it hath been shewed â—…fore that such an apprehention will not stand or agree with truth But the word for doth here only note why or wherfore as if it were rendered faith is impuâ—…a unto righteousness that is to say to the end we may attain unto righteousness And in another-place the same preposition is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 twice in one veâ—… Rom 10. 10. with the heart man believeth unto righteousness with the mouth confession is made unto salvation and so it might be here Rom 4. faith is imputed unto righteousness This exposition of the phrase when faith is said to be accouÌ„ted or imputed for righteousness is given by some very godly judicious and I mention it as worthy consideration But that sense of the word which is more usually given and wherin I should rest is when faith is taken relatively for its object which is Christ his righteousness and so these words faith is accounted for righteousness have this meaning that Christ and his righteousness are so accounted For as hath been shewed afore it is not unusuall that faith should be taken in this sense namely for its object Christ Jesus That which in one verse is called faith in another is called Christ Gal. 2. 16 17. so likewise Gal. 3. 23 25. of which sense more hath been spoken afore 3 There is yet another expression in this matter of imputation and that is the imputing of righteousness which phrase is used Rom 4. 6 11. So then for the form manner of justification there is the not imputing of sinn and the imputing of righteousness and the imputing of faith unto righteousness But for farther opening of this point of Imputation sundry questions may be proposed viz 1 VVhat is that righteousness which God doth impute unto us for our justification It is the righteousness of Jesus Christ our Redeemer Mediatour that which was wrought by him in his own person this righteousness of his is imputed unto us by God and the imputation of it is the formal cause of our justification That this righteousness of Christ is imputed to us such reasons as these may make manifest 1 If righteousness be imputed as the text plainly expressly affirms that it is Rom 4. 6 1â—… then it must either bee our own righteousness that is so imputed or else the righteousness of some other But our own righteousness it can not bee for wee being all sinners have none such of our own as can justifie us Rom 3. 10. Psal. 143. 2. Isai 64 6. And besides this righteousness is said to be imputed without works Rom 4. 6. that is without our own works so that the righteousness of our own works is not imputed It must then be the righteousness of another Now that other can be none else but Christ alone Any other whose righteousness may be imputed for justification besides Christ can not be imagined 2 The text is plain that we are justified by Christ his righteousness Jer 23. 6. Isai 45. 24 25. Rom 5. 9 19 1 Cor 1. 30. And if so then his righteousness is imputed to us because there is no other way how it can be coÌ„municated to us but by imputation And yet communicated it must be else how shall wee be justified by it Riches Pearls of great value can make no man rich till they be applyed and become his own and so it is in this case 3 As we are made sinners by the sin of Adam so are we made righteous by the righteousness of Christ Rom 5. 19. 1 Cor 15. 22. But we are made sinners by the sin of Adam by imputation for the guilt and punishment of that sinn can no otherwise be made ours And therfore we are made righteous by the righteousness of Christ by imputation 4 Look how Christ was made a sinner by our sinn so are wee made righteous by his righteousness 2 Cor 5. 21. Now how was Christ made a sinner by our sinn not inherently as if there were any sin inherent in him either in his heart or life the Scripture is express against that Heb 4. 15. 1 Pet 2. 22. for he knew no sinn in that sence 2 Cor 5. 21. It were a most wicked thing to imagine any such matter of him And therfore it remayneth that he was made a sinner by imputation only he was made sinn for us 2 Cor 5. 21. the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all Isai 53. 6. But now this also may be questioned by some Whether our sinns were imputed to Christ and whether he bare any punishment due to us for our sinns There are sundry reasons that may clear this also 1 It may be cleared by all those Scriptures where it is said that Christ suffered and dyed for our sinns Rom 4. 25. 5. 6 8. 1 Cor 15. 3. 1 Pet 3. 18. Isai 53. 5 8. Heb 2. 9. Christ did not dy wâ—…out a cause Gal. 2. last for our sinns were the cause And if our sinns were the cause of his death and that he dyed for them then they were imputed to him so that when he suffered and dyed he bare the punishment of our sinns 2 Christ is said to bear our sinns 1 Pet. 2. 24. Isai 53. 11 12. Now to hear them doth imply that he bare the punishmeÌ„t of them and that they were imputed to him for that end For wheras some do think that to bear our sinns doth signifie no more but that hee bare them away from us without bearing