his Mercy 2 Tim. 4.8 it is a Crown of Righteousness given by the Lord the righteous judge And as in our being glorified the righteousness of God is exerted and shineth forth so it is likewise in our being justified 1 Joh. 1.9 Rom. 3.25 26. and indeed throughout the whole of our Salvation he is a just God and a Saviour Isa 45.21 Hence appears the Necessity of this Suretiship-Righteousness of Christ It must be provided and brought in that God may be Just in showing Mercy and appear Righteous in extending Grace unto us and saving us with that great Salvation to which he hath appointed us For it is the unchangeable Constitution of the unchangeable God to glorifie the one Attribute as well as the other Justice as well as Grace in our Salvation Of this Suretiship-Righteousness of Christ there are two parts without either of which it would not be compleat and perfect and would not serve our turn And the reason thereof is because Christ being our Surety is thereby under an Obligation to pay our Debt and we owe a double Debt unto the Moral Law viz. a Debt of Satisfaction by suffering the penalty as transgressing guilty Creatures and a Debt of Service and Obedience to the Precept as rational Creatures constituted in the way to our Everlasting Condition Hence there are two parts of Christ's Suretiship-righteousness This is that which the Apostle saith and on which he puts so much Remark and Emphasis 1 John 5.6 This is he who came by water and by blood Jesus the Christ not in water only but in water and in blood The Language and Phrases are Levitical Conceive the meaning of them thus The first Adam came by Water in a Spotless Cleanness and Purity as to all that the Precept requir'd of him But Jesus Christ came not by Water only not only in such Purity and Cleanness as fully answered all the Demands of the Precept of the Law but he came by Blood also which neither Adam nor Angels did Jesus Christ the Son of God came in a way of satisfactory Sufferings to Expiate and make Atonement for the Sins against the Precept which we were guilty of this he did by his Blood The reason is he was made our Surety his Name was put not only into the Covenant of Works but into it as a broken Covenant 1. His subjection to and suffering of the penalty of the Law This is commonly called the Passive Obedience or Righteousness of Christ because it consists in his Suffering the penalty or curse of the Law The Scripture calls it the Blood of Christ Ephes 1.7 and the Death of Christ Rom. 5.10 under that eminent part including and intending the whole of his Sufferings And also Christ's being made Sin 2 Cor. 5.21 and being made a Curse Gal. 3.13 The ground and reason of this Suffering of Christ under the Curse of the Law is because our Guilt our Sins were upon him and thence he suffered in our stead for them Isa 53.5 6. God the Father with his own consent put upon him the Garments of us Sinners and then awaked his Sword against him even the Sword of his Revenging Justice and ran him through and poured out his Blood as if he had been a Sinner Zach. 13.7 The end of it with reference to God is the restoring to him the Honour of his Authority and Supremacy over us and of his other perfections which shine forth in the Law which we by disobeying him had robbed him of Psal 69.4 With reference to us the end and attainment of it is reconciling us to God Rom. 5.10 Thence Christ is said to reconcile us and make peace between God and us by the blood of his Cross Eph. 2.14 15 16. Colos 1.20 21. The necessity of this part of Christ's Suretiship-righteousness being brought in for us ariseth partly from the glorious Holiness and Justice of Gods Nature whence he cannot but maintain his own Supremacy and the Rational Creatures Moral dependance on and subjection to himself which being violated by Sin can no way be re by satisfaction nor satisfaction be made but by the suffering of Punishment and partly from the veracity of God in his threatning wherein he hath in Wisdom and Justice established a connexion between Sin and Death and made the latter to be the wages of the former Gen. 2.17 Deut. 27.26 Insomuch as in regard of the Sanction of the Law that of the Apostle Heb 9.22 takes place and holds true without blood there is no remission 2. His subjection to and fulfilling the precept of the Law is also a part of Christ's Suretiship-Righteousness This is commonly called Christ's active obedience and by the Apostle his Obedience Rom. 5.19 viz. Obedience not only in Suffering but Obedience to the precept of the Law as Adams Disobedience to which it is there opposed was a violation of the precept By Christ it is called his fulfilling all righteousness Matth. 3.15 and his doing the will of God Psal 40.8 Heb. 10.7 9. The reason and ground of Christs obligation to bring in this part of righteousness for us is because he is our Surety and we owe this Debt to the Law of God And there is a necessity of it because God will magnifie his Law and make it Honourable in his being well pleased in Christ with us for his righteousness sake Isa 42.21 And because it is the unchangeable constitution of God that all the saying Good and Blessing which shall be given us shall be given not only from Free Grace but by the hand of Justice and in the way of being purchased for us by a just price Thence as in the former part of Christ's Suretiship-righteousness God's vindictive justice appeared and was glorified so in this part of it his remunerative justice shines forth and is exerted For by this part of Christ's righteousness he hath obtained for us in a way of purchase or merit by paying down a just price Salvation and Eternal Life Heb. 9.14 Eph. 1.14 Under this Obedience or Conformity of Christ to the Precept of the Law I include both all the course of his Holy walking and also the habitual created inherent Holiness of his humane Nature for the precept of the Law requires Holiness both in heart and Life and therefore Christ paid both Heb. 7.26 28. Isa 53.9 1 Pet. 2.22 and 3.18 I mention this in the second place after the other part of his Suretiship-righteousness because though that was compleated and finished at his Death and his Active Obedience to the precept of the Moral Law was yielded in his Life yet the consideration of them and the Natural order of them as availing and accepted for us is that suffering under the penalty goes before Obedience to the precept because there is no room for merit or purchase till satisfaction be first made As among Men you cannot purchase of another till your Debt be paid and former Arrearages into which you have run with him be satisfied and
short of his blessed Pattern Even with reference to this Suretiship-righteousness of Christ and its being on Believers they cannot with any truth or sobriety be said to be in all respects righteous as Christ is righteous as he is their Surety For this very Suretiship-righteousness of Christ is upon him as the Original Native subject and efficient of it he wrought it out But it is on Believers by derivation from Christ as they are in him Hence the Glory of bringing it in is his even Christ's peculiar and wholly Due to him alone they share not at all with him therein though they do through his Grace participate in the righteousness thus brought in by Christ and in the precious Effects and Fruits of it Moreover as it is Christs and upon him it is a Publick or Common Righteousness for he is a publick or common Person being a Surety for all the Elect as performed by him it was performed for them all as accepted from him it was accepted for them all But now every Believer is made Righteous by it for himself only it is upon him not as a Publick but only as a Private Particular Single Person And therefore though Christ by this Righteousness be the Saviour and the Redeemer of the Church yet it cannot be inferr'd as both Papists and Socinians impotently argue and calumniate that if it be imputed to Believers and they stand righteous in it they are Saviours and Redeemers as well as Christ 2. Believers are nevertheless still under obligation to obey the Law and to walk in all Holy Conversation and Godliness unto all well-pleasing before God 2 Pet. 3.15 16. Colos 1.10 1 Thess 4.1 They are bound not only to do all that the Law requires but to do it in a way of subjection to the Authority of God in the Law and to put a respect of Obedience to his Command upon all that they doe as well as a respect of Love and Thankfulness upon all their Obedience Colos 3.17 Though withal it is true that Believers ought not to yield Obedience to the Law in a Legal manner and Spirit nor from Legal or Old-Covenant Principles nor unto Old-Covenant Ends. They ought not to obey in a servile manner with slavish fear ruling in their hearts nay they may not fear being cast out of Covenant and favour with God for every failure of theirs Nor are they to obey only in the strength of Grace received but to depend on Christ for continual Influences as well as constant acceptance Psal 71.16 Isa 45.24 Nor lastly may Believers obey the Law for the same end as under the Covenant of Works namely that their own Obedience should be their righteousness wherein to stand accepted before God 3. All the swervings of Believers from the rule of the Law and all their comings short of what the precept doth require are sins in them notwithstanding this righteousness is thus upon them Yea these sins of theirs do deserve Eternal Death as justly as much as the like sins in others do Nay they are worse in Believers being greatly aggravated and of deeper demerit by this very thing that the Grace of God hath thus appeared unto them and hath thus exceedingly abounded to them-ward 4. Hence it follows further That it is the Duty of Believers notwithstanding this righteousness is upon them and they are thus righteous by it to lament their sins and to loath themselves for them yea to arraign and condemn themselves as worthy of Eternal Death for even the least of them That promise Ezek. 16.61 63. holds out this to be a Duty and a Practise pleasing unto God Such also was the practice of that Converted pardoned Sinner Luke 7.37 38 47. Her Sins were pardoned and she was justified before and not for or by her so lamenting and condemning her self This righteousness therefore being thus upon Believers should not either incourage them unto Sin or harden their hearts under sin neither indeed doth it nor can it so work in a Believer The abounding of Grace to them much more than Sin hath abounded doth oblige and teach them to abhor continuing in Sin Rom. 5.21 with Rom. 6.1 Yea Believers should argue with and reprove themselves for their Sins as Nathan from God argues with David about his Sin and aggravates it upon him 2 Sam. 12.7 8 9. Even so should Believers aggravate their own sins upon themselves and load their own hearts with them from this Grace of God towards them that this righteousness of Christ is upon them Therefore when I said they should arraign and condemn themselves for their sins you must not understand it as if a Believer upon whom this righteousness of Christ is should judge himself to be in a state of wrath No that would be a false Judgment for there is no condemnation to those who are in Christ Rom. 8.1 But a Believer reflecting on his sins should lay his Mouth in the dust and his Neck down upon the block his Conscience should make this Judgment and pass this Sentence on him I am for such and such things which I have done against the Lord worthy of Eternal Death yea I am more worthy of Hell than others I do deserve a deeper place in it than those to whom Grace never so abounded over whom Grace never so reigned through this righteousness of Christ as it hath and will over me unto Eternal Life Quest 3. What is the import of that word without difference Answ I shall lay before you the intendment of it in three words 1. This righteousness of God is upon all Believers one as well as another Gentile as well as Jew greater as well as lesser Sinners even all who have sinned and are fallen short of the Glory of God as ver 23. all who are become guilty before God and whose mouths must be stopped even all the World as ver 19. All flesh who can never be justified in the sight of God by the deeds of the Law all who are in this common Condition of Mankind shall have this Righteousness upon them only provided they do believe Nothing shall hinder nothing in their outward Condition nothing in their Spiritual Condition shall hinder the being upon them of this righteousness in case they do believe That of the Apostle Gal. 3.28 and Colos 3.11 holds true and takes place in this matter that here there is neither Jew nor Greek Circumcision nor Uncircumcision Barbarian Scythian Bond or Free Male or Female but this righteousness is unto them all and upon them all one as well as another if they believe This Grace is extended to the greatest the foulest Sinners upon their believing as well as unto the least according to 1 Cor. 6.10 11. 2. This righteousness is equally and alike upon them all There is in this also no difference it is in the same measure and degree unto them all and upon them all One hath not more of it than another it is no less truely no less certainly
Counsels about them come to is this that they may be brought to the acknowledgment of the Son of God and he and his Father be Admired and Glorified by and in them Eph. 4.13 2 Thes 1.10 12. Rev. 5.11 12 13 14. For they were made for him Col. 1.16 Rev. 4.11 2. God hath ordained two more eminent ways for this end of bringing in a Revenue of Gl ry unto his Son in the salvation of his Elect viz. That he shall do all with God for them and that he shall be all from God unto them And hence as he had chosen them in Christ so he gave them unto Christ and that from Everlasting to be an Head and Saviour to them Joh. 17.2 6 9 10. and 6.37 39. And thence Christ stands engaged for them and charged with them before God Joh. 6.38 39 40. Joh. 10.16 And God beholding them in Christ is fully at rest and infinitely delighted and therefore speaks as glorying and triumphing in this counsel of his Psal 89.19 3. Though this was in the heart of God from Everlasting and thus consulted and agreed on between the Father and the Son y t God made mankind and among them the Elect in such an estate as that they needed not Christs so interposing between God and them nor indeed were they capable of it being constituted under another head and under another Covenant which had nothing in it of Christ and his Righteousness either to be brought in for them or to be apply'd to them And indeed it became God to put his rational Creature perfect out of his hand Eccles 7.29 Gen. 1.27 It was suitable to his Wisdom Holyness and Goodness that if he made a rational Creature he should be made sinless and holy and in a state of friendship with God For else sin would have been God's work which is impossible and the breach have begun on God's part which would not have been meet for then Mans destruction would not have been of himself nor could God have beheld the works of his hands and have pronounced concerning them all that they were very good nor could he have rested and rejoyced in them 4. All mankind even the Elect who are given to Christ as they were at first constituted under Adam so they as well as o hers fell in him and were plunged into ruine and death being involved in the guilt of his disobedience In him they sinned and in him they dyed though the Son of God had undertaken for them and stood charged with them from Eternity For his undertaking for them was not to keep them from falling into a state of Sin and Death but when fallen into it to bring them out of that Estate unto Eternal Life Neither was his being charged with them to operate upon them till the time appointed for it which was not till they should be plunged into Guilt and Death so as neither they themselves not any meer Creature could recover them out of that Estate and raise them up unto that happiness to which they were appointed This fall of the Elect into a state of Sin and Death and Wrath may possibly seem somewhat remote from the point in hand But it is not For hereby a Door is opened for the Son of God to step in and do all with God for them and be all unto them and that from God All I say that in this ruined perishing condition they need to bring them to that height of Happyness to which they were fore-ordained in the great Love of God to them and unto Christ his Son So that as Christ speaks of the blindness of him who was blind from the Womb Joh. 9.3 That it was that the works of God might be made manifest in him we may say of this fall of the Elect it was in the Counsel of God designed to this end that the depths of the Riches of the Knowledge and Wisdom and Grace and Power of God might be made manifest in them And as Christ speaks of Lazarus his sickness and dying Joh. 11.4 That it was not unto Death meaning it was not that he should abide in a state of Death so must we say of this falling of the Elect into a State of Spiritual Death in Sin and Trespasses it is not unto Death for ever but for the Glory of God that the Son of God might be glorified in recovering them 5. In order unto the recovery and Salvation of the Elect by Christ and his being glorified therein God hath in infinite wisdom ordained a double Vnion between Christ and them or two ways of their being in him The one that Christ may stand before God and transact for them with God in Redemption as a publick Person The other that he may be all to them from God wherein what he hath obtained and received for them comes to be unto them upon them and in them in the Application of that Redemption The one of these Unions between Christ and us I may call an Vnion in Law the other a Vital Vnion I confess the terms are not so apposite as I could wish But I know not any better and in that penury of words under which we labour we must sometimes take up with terms which are not altogether to our minds I call the one an V nion in Law because by it Christ and the Elect are after a sort made one Person in Law and he bears a relation to them so as that they are said to be in him in his reviving rising from the dead and sitting in Heavenly places Eph. 2.5 6. and that Grace which we in our own persons are in time made partakers of is said to have been given us in him before the World began 2 Tim. 1.9 The other I call a Vital Vnion because there is in it a mutual Living acting on each other between Christ and us Christ apprehends or lays hold on us Phil. 3.11 He draws us Joh. 12.32 and we being drawn do come to him and close in with him Both these Unions are Mystical that is Spiritual Sacred and Sublime both of them are of Grace free and meer Grace and therefore Supernatural and therefore of Supercreation Grace Both of them are for the Honour of Christ the Son of God and both of them make for insuring of Life unto all the Seed unto all that are given unto Christ unto all the Elect of God For these are but different adjuncts of the same subject Yet between these Unions there is a manifold and manifest difference The one was from everlasting 2 Tim. 1.9 the other in time Rom. 7.4 The one is of all the Elect at once and together the other is not so but brought about in the several seasons determined on between the Father and the Son namely when the day of their Power and the time of their Love dawns upon this and that particular Perfon for some are in Christ before others with that Vital Union Rom. 16.7 The one is compleated and perfected in
taken notice of It is an easie thing to quote many that tax it as madness and blasphemy to say Believers are equal with Christ but they must be understood in a limited sense and as meaning such an equality as interferes with Christ's Headship and with his having the pre-eminence in all things For taken absolutely and in all respects it will not hold Believers are Men equally with Christ and they are justified from their sin equally with Christ for they are perfectly justified and perfectly freed from the revenging Wrath of God in this Life and from Condemnation Mr. Bradshaw though he be not for such an imputation of Christ's Righteousness as others are who are not Antinomians as Dr. Owen Dr. Jacomb Mr. Ant. Burgess yet saith God doth not only forgive to Persons justified all their sins but doth also even in like manner esteem them themselves and accounts them in the same place as if they were altogether free from all manner of sin both of commission and omission Perinde aestimat eâ—demque loco habet What would this dissatisfied Person have said if I had affirmed that we have a whole and unmaimed righteousness against which God in his most exact justice cannot proceed no more than he can call his own Son to a second Death or not accept his face who is the righteousness of God himself Or if I had said that Mary under the Cross was more just imputatively than Christ which was also true of every Believer then living when Christ was under the actual imputation of Sin And that God looking on Believers through Christ seeth no more sin safely understood than he seeth in him The former are the words of Reverend Mr. Cartwright against the Rhemists on Rom. 2.13 and the latter of Mr. Norton Orth. Evang. ch 14. pag. 324. I might multiply quotations to the same purpose But to what end I fear it is a dislike and heart-hatred of standing justified in the Righteousness of Christ imputed and in it only that lyes at the bottom in these oppositions For the thing is evident in it self and I can hardly think any man is so forsaken of common understanding as to deny it that if it be the same righteousness in which Christ and we stand he and we are so far as that righteousness makes righteous equally righteous If it be the same righteousness that is upon him and upon us it must needs have the same effect as to making righteous Let it be but owned and believed that it is Christ's Righteousness and not our own either Faith or other Graces or Obedience that we stand justified in before God and what I have delivered must be owned and is so whether Men see it or not But if Christ's Righteousness be not upon us if that be not the only righteousness in which we stand justified it is then absurd and monstrous and blasphemous or whatever men that like not standing in the Righteousness of Christ please to call it to say that imputatively we are as righteous as Christ is righteous as our Surety It may be that some or other who do believe these things to be blessed and glorious Truths may think it had been better not to have spoken them out I must crave leave in this to dissent from them I do not think that in such a Subject we should at such a time be mealy-mouthed Had Luther Zuinglius Calvin Zanchy and others of the first Reformers been as faint and complying in their expressions as some very great and good men then were and as Peter Martyr himself for some time was the precious truths of God had been greatly obscured and the Light thereof not propagated down to us as it is at this day FINIS