grace in truth and the exercise of it by which the glory of Christ is exalted and he rested in as the only Saviour and Mediatour for sure I am how high soever their pretences may be without true grace and fruitfulness in it they neither do nor can do that which they themselves pretend unto What some Men have been doing and what their thoughts are as to matters of this nature I shall leave only they seem strange to me for after I have affirmed that such as have the exercise of true Faith and other graces it is not possible while it is thus for them either to rest in Grace or Duty they in opposition have asserted that such Doctrine is the high way to make formalists and hypocrites but then you must know it was without proof and it was like to be so for sure I am that such as perform duties without true Faith and the exercise of Grace they have nothing wherewith to rest upon Christ or his Mediation and so must content themselves with the work done and these are and can be no other while it is thus but formalists and hypocrites What it is to some Persons I know not but to me it is a Paradox that true grace and sincere obedience should lead off from Christ and God in him and that Men should be in danger thereby while it is prevalent to degrade Christ and set up themselves it is just as if a Man should say such a Servant as is faithful diligent in his Master's service and very obedient his Master is in danger so long as he is such to be robbed of his due honour by him while yet the Master accounts it a credit and honour unto him to have such a Servant and loves him entirely and intrusts him with those secrets that he will not intrust with the rest though know the Servant doth but what he ought to do in all this And thus the best and most faithful of God's Servants after all they have done in God's service must account themselves unprofitable to God because they make no return of any thing unto him but what they first have received from him through Christ by the Holy good Spirit though observe where there is faithfulness they shall reap the profit for God will for Christ reward his own work in them and that which is done faithfully by them He that comes to God must believe that he is and that he is a rewarder of such as diligently seek him Eliphaz intimates Job 22. 2. that though no Man can be profitable to God yet a wise Man one that is spiritually wise saith Mr. Caryl may be profitable to himself And he hath this Observation upon the words He that is truly Wise Godly and Holy shall find fruit and benefit by it we car saith he never want fruit our selves while we are bringing forth fruit unto God all obedience i. e. which is sincere is attended with a blessing For my part with relation to what hath been said I do not think that any thing is accounted by God morally unclean and filthy but Sin and therefore must be yet to learn that sincere obedience to the commands of the Gospel is Sin if it be said as usual it is so as it is in us I Answer as it is in us so Sin attends it I grant as we are sinful and unclean in our selves and this Sin must needs be filthy and abominable but then that obedience which is the obedience of Faith and Love considered in it self as abstracted from our Sin that this I say is filthy and abominable I dare not affirm but indeed must deny for the principle must needs be the work of the Spirit and the performance must be by the Spirit 's assistance and as such then the obedience must be accepted of God Now how that which is a work of the Spirit and performed by the assistance of the Spirit and offered up to God by Christ through his intercession can be filthy and abominable in it self I shall leave under consideration whether is it rational to think that Christ will offer up to God by his intercession that which is filthy or suppose he should whether will God accept it But it will be said as before it is only filthy in point of Justification I Answer if it be not filthy in point of acceptation through Christ and for his sake it cannot be filthy in point of Justification so far as it hath its use and office there for will God accept that for the sake of Christ which he will not so far as he accepts it justifie us upon God accepts of a Soul 's sincere obedience which is the obedience of Faith through Christ as it his Spirit 's work and a Conformity to the Gospel Law now what is Gods acceptation but his being pleased with the Soul and its service through Christ which well pleasedness implies his judging that Soul to be one that hath right as it is a sincere obedient Soul still for Christ's merits to the blessings promised unto such and what is God's judging a Soul to have right but his justifying of that Soul It is very odd to hear some Persons in their confessions casting away all that is in them and all that is done by them in the special service of God though sincere as dung and yet profess they will rest and depend upon Christ's Intercession for the acceptation of that which they called and accounted dung as though Christ would offer up to God on their account by his intercession or that God would accept that which is as dung and so filthy and abominable in a moral sense And then further these very Persons in the same duty will thank God for any ground of hope he hath given of the truth of a work of Grace in their Hearts and the exercise of Grace in the Duty and the hopes they have had of the Spirits assistance and yet all this before in their confessions they cast away as dung I do believe many have meant well in all this and were for the main good Christians but plain it is matters were not so well considered as they should have been here Think of it we have all Sin to bewail which attends us in our best services and to crave pardon for through Christ but then so far as our Hearts are sound and sincere and we find the exercise of humiliation Faith and love to God in the performance of that service we have ground to believe it shall be accepted of God in Christ and therefore may depend upon his Mediation for this very thing being incouraged by God's gracious promise and if so we neither may nor ought to look upon such a service in it self to be dung and so an abomination to God Now the reason that some give for accounting our Gospel holiness dung is this i. e. because of its infirmity and imperfection This reason implies that all that Grace and Holiness which is not
is not actually healing to the Sick until it prevail against the Distemper and it is so with Grace And thus it may be known in what Sense Sanctification is before Justification Touching the gift of the first Grace know there is much good purchased by Christ and given without respect to any condition on Man's part and thus the gift of the first Grace God ordinarily by his Word 〈◊〉 Spirit concurring doth convince humble and incline the Sinner to accept of Christ in all his Offices i. e. to be Propitiation Head and Teacher and when the consent is gained then hath the Soul an actual interest in and right unto the Lord Jesus to be his Propitiation c. to the sanctifying Spirit to Reconciliation Adoption and Glorification The former work was to prevail with the Soul for its consent but when prevailed with then hath it an actual interest in and right unto Christ and the saving blessings of the Covenant promised upon consent A Man that Courts a Woman for her Consent to be his Wife untill this be given by her and she actually give up her self unto him to be his Wife she hath no interest in him as her Husband nor interest in nor right unto any of his Goods as one in that relation and thus it is in the Case before us If any Man saith Christ hear my voice and open the door I will come in to him and sup with him and he with me Revel 3. 20. SECT II. How the Imputation of Christ's Righteousness is to be held and how not AFter these things cleared I proceed to tell the World how I do and how I do not ◠〈◊〉 â— the Imputation of Christ's Righteousness I do not deny but affirm God's Imputation of Christ's Righteousness in these following Senses 1. God so far imputes it as that he accounts it was for our Redemption and Salvation Rom. 3. 24 25. 2. God so far imputes it as that he accounts it to be the sole or only Merit and Purchase of the New Covenant and the benefits thereof Heb. 7. 19. 2 Tim. 1. 10. 3. God so far imputes it as that he accounts it to Merit the Blessed Spirit for us to work Grace in our Hearts John 1. 16. Ephes 1. 3. 4. God so far imputes it as that he accounts it is for this that all the Grace and Duties of his People are accepted Ephes 1. 6. 5. God so far imputes it as that he accounts it is for this he pardons us and receives us into his favour and justifies us by his Covenant of Grace upon believing and so accepts our Faith for Righteousness it is not without Christ but for him Acts 13. 38 39. Golos 1. 21 22 23. 6. I do believe that what Christ did and suffered he did and suffered for us in the Person of a Mediatour and God doth account what he did and suffered as Mediatour doth and shall avail as much for the obtaining of Pardon and Life for us upon Faith as though we had been able to have done and suffered the same in our own Persons 1 Peâ—â—r 3. 18. Heb. 9. 15. 1 Tim. 2. 5 6. Rom. 4. 23 24 25. John 3. 16. Now I desire to know in what any Christian in his Practice can make further use of the Lord Jesus than in those particulars forementioned and if he cannot make any use of Christ by Faith but what may be reduced to some of those particulars Can it be thought that God doth make over Christ unto him after some sort wherein he shall be of no use If not then â— desire to know what needs any further or any Imputation of Christ's Righteousness of another sort than hath been expressed I desire it may be taken notice of that whereas I have been accused by some as an Adversary to all Imputation of Christ's Righteousness they have misrepresented me and so have wronged me And I challenge any Man to shew in this Profession wherein I have detracted from the Grace of God or Merits of Christ But now having shewn in what Sense I hold the Imputation of Christ's Righteousness I must plainly tell the World that God doth not so impute the Righteousness of Christ unto us as that he accounts it in it self to be our very formal Personal Righteousness reckoning that what Christ did and suffered as our Mediatour we did and suffered in our own Persons i. e. obeyed in him and suffered in him in the Sense of the violated Law of Innocency This is that I profess I dare not believe and the reason is the many gross and to be dreaded consequences with which such a Doctrine as this is loaded 1. It chargeth God with an untruth for God judgeth of things as they are and not as they are not if we then affirm that God accounts that what Christ did and suffered for us we did and suffered in our own Persons in the Sense of his violated Law which he must do if he account the very Righteousness of Christ to be ours in it self then he must account us to have done and suffered that in our own Persons which he knows we neither did nor suffered and if so then let it be considered what must follow 2. If Christ's Righteousness be imputed in it self then the Law of perfect sinless Works must justifie us for if God in our Justification do account the Righteousness of Christ in it self to be our formal personal justifying Righteousness then he must account us to be such as have a sinless perfect habitual and active Righteousness for such was the Righteousness of Christ and if God do account us to have such a righteousness as this in our own Persons then it must follow that the Law of Innocency must justifie us as well as it did Christ for what should hinder if we have the very same righteousness which is Christs to be our formal personal righteousness and have it we must if God do impute it unto us in it self and account it in that Imputation to be such a righteousness as formal and personal And from hence we must implicitly hold that God in our Justification doth account us to be as righteous as Christ which some have had the Confidence to affirm and all from this Doctrine for I hope People are not to learn that Christ's righteousness habitual and active was a perfect conformity to the Law of Innocency and if we be such in the Sense of that it accounting that what Christ was and did we were and did in him in point of conformity then in this very account it justifies us 3. God must account us such as are habitually and actively sinless and Holy such as have neither Sin in our Nature and Life for Christ was such and if we have the very same righteousness personally which he had which we must have if God account us as they say to have it then how can we chuse but be such as have neither Sin in Nature nor Life 4. That follows which
Psalmist determine Psalm 45. 13 14. The King's daughter is all glorious within her cloathing is of wrought gold She shall be brought unto the King in raiment of Needle-work the Virgins her companions that follow her shall be brought unto thee And so the Apostle Paul Ephes 5. 25 26 27. Husbands love your Wives even as Christ also loved the Church and gave himself for it That he might sanctifie and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word That he might present it to himself a glorious Church not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing 5. A Fifth Text is in Rom. 3. 22. Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe for there is no difference This Righteousness of God say they is the Righteousness of Christ imputed and accounted to be a Believer's formal personal Righteousness but that by the Righteousness of God in this Scripture and others cannot be meant the Righteousness of Christ is manifest 1. Because this righteousness which is called the righteousness of God is opposed unto the righteousness of the Law and is said ver 21. to be without the Law But the righteousness of Christ is not opposed to the righteousness of the Law he being conformed unto the Law both in habit and act 2. By the righteousness of God cannot be meant God's righteousness it self I hope they will grant and if not then from it they cannot gather that the righteousness of Christ in it self is imputed seeing it is a divine as well as an humane righteousness unless they will say it is the humane righteousness of Christ only which is imputed in it self and if so it could nothing avail them for though it be true the humane righteousness of Christ would have availed himself as the Law of Innocency justified him thereupon as a righteous Man Yet it would have availed us nothing at all without the conjunction of his divine righteousness seeing without this it would not have been for others satisfactory and meritorious therefore I conclude that Faith in Jesus Christ is the righteousness which is here called the righteousness of God and that because God by the Gospel hath constituted and appointed this to be that which he will accept instead of legal perfect righteousness and for the sake of Christ's satisfactory and meritorious righteousness will justifie us by his Law of Grace and thereby give right to Pardon and Life What hath been said to this Text may be sufficient to give light to understand the meaning of that Text so much urged Phil. 3. 9. And be found in him not having mine own righteousness which is of the Law but that which is through the faith of Christ the righteousness which is of God by faith And so Rom. 1. 17. For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith as it is written The just shall live by faith Rom. 10. 3. For they being ignorant of God's righteousness and going about to establish their own righteousness have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God 2 Cor. 5. 21. For he hath made him to be sin for us who knew no sin that we might be made the righteousness of God in him 6. The sixth Text is Rom. 4. 6. Even as David also describeth the blessâ—dness of the Man unto whom God imputeth righteousness without works This righteousness say they which God in this Text is said to impute can be no other but the righteousness of Christ There hath been enough said to shew it cannot be righteousness of Christ in it self which is imputed I would gladly have Men to consider what the Apostle in this his dispute undertakes to prove can any thing be more clear than that it is Justification by Faith in opposition unto the works of the Law both of Innocency and Moses But here is the grand mistake of these Men when the Apostle is only excluding works with relation to the Law of Innocency or the Law of Moses from Justification they understand him universally as excluding also Gospel works such as Faith c. which yet nothing can be more express and plain the Apostle is pleading for Justification by Verse 9. For we say that faith was reckoned to Abraham for righteousness And this Apostle at the fifth ver of this Chapter affirms that faith is accounted for righteousness And if so which is express then faith must be the righteousness of which the fifth Verse speaks Well but say they it is not faith that is this righteousness but the object Christ's righteousness if they mean it is not faith abstracted or seperate from its object that is this righteousness I say the same for it is no true faith which hath not Christ for its object But if they mean that it is the object it self that justifies and not faith with relation unto the object here I must leave them and that because I must believe the Apostle before them and there is nothing in all the Scripture more manifest than that though there be neither conformity to the Law of Innocency nor the Law of Moses though a Man neither can nor shall be accounted by God righteous in the sense of these Laws yet where there is a consormity to the Gospel Law we have David's testimony saith the Apostle that Man shall be blessed and this his conformity shall be by God accounted for righteousness And what wonderful grace is it that God will accept for the sake of Christ the sincere obedience of faith instead of a sinless perfect obedience But say these Men if you are justified by faith you are justified by works and so exclude the grace of God The Apostle saith the contrary Therefore it is of faith that it might be by grace Verse 16. But this I suppose they cannot or will not understand but think that if it be by faith it must be by a work exclusive of grace They consider not that faith is the free gift of God through Christ and that it is by grace that God saves through faith Ephes 2. 8. For by grace ye are saved through faith and that not of your selves it is the gift of God A Soul being by the Holy Spirit convinced of its own sinful and lost condition and its own inability and insufficiency to save it self out of this condition by the light of the Gospel it hath a discovery there is a sufficiency of Satisfaction Merit Power and Spirit in Christ for its Pardon and Life beside a free offer herein of this grace unto it immediately as it is really burdened with Sin and under the fears of eternal perishing and so truly willing of Christ and his Grace above all the World upon which the Soul penitentially renouncing the World the Flesh and the Devil gives its actual consent to accept of Christ for its Propitiation Head and Teacher and so to be subject to God in him by the Holy Spirit Here now is the
natures or did God make a Covenant of Grace with a Covenant of Grace Christ indeed was given of the Father to reconcile God to Sinners by his Blood and Sinners to God by the Holy Spirit given Ephes 2. 13. But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ Coloss 1. 21. And you that were sometimes alienated and enemies in your minds by wicked works yet now hath he reconciled And so he is the Efficient and meritorious cause of the Covenant of Grace and the gift of the Covenant so far as he makes over himself and the blessed fruits of his purchase thereby to his People but to talk of Christ being the Covenant it self and so to purchase himself if he purchase the Covenant of Grace who could have thought that any Man should have offered such raw conceptions for certainly the end of Christ's Death was to reconcile God and Sinners and are God and Sinners reconciled so long as Sinners continue in actual rebellion against him If not then are not Sinners to cast away their weapons their Sins whereby they have been warring against God And are they not to come in upon his Proclamation of Grace and humbly submit themselves to his sacred Majesty promising through Grace to be his loyal Subjects for the time to come And is not this an engagement on the returning Sinners part to be the Lords when he saith implicitly herein and so answers Gods call as it is said Jerm 3. 22. Return ye backâ—sliding Children and I will heal your backslidings Behold we come unto thee for thou art the Lord our God Isa 26. 13. O Lord our God other Lord besides thee have had dominion over us but by thee only will we make mention of thy name And hath not God promised to accept receive pardon c. for Christ's sake such a Sinner and is not this God's gracious engagement on his part and is not here the form of a Covenant But was there ever such a Covenant made betwixt God and Christ True indeed it is in and through the merits of Christ that God thus condescends but plain it is this Covenant which is a Covenant of Grace to Sinners is made betwixt God and them Can these Persons understand the nature of Mercy and Grace as they should who talk of a Covenant of Mercy and Grace made with Christ Well but say they it was made with Christ for us and with us in him I Answer If they speak of the Covenant of Redemption I grant it was though made with Christ yet so for us as that it was in order to our Redemption and Salvation by him but if they speak of the Covenant of Grace such a Covenant as I have described above that this was made with Christ for us this I deny for if so then Christ must be bound to perform that duty on his part which God in the Gospel requires of Sinners and will they say this That he hath ingaged himself in the Covenant of Redemption to give Grace to all the Father hath given him I speak of the Adult to inable them to perform the duty which the Gospel injoins and if this be all they intend by the Covenant of Grace being made with Christ for Believers they do not differ from me in the thing though yet observe their notion confounds in the matter the Covenant of Redemption made with Christ making it the same with that which is made with Sinners which is strictly in its own nature and in the very matter of it a Covenant of Grace and Mercy And further when they say the Covenant of Grace as such in its own nature was made with us in Christ If they mean with us in Christ as the purchaser which this Man denies in scorn or the great mean of conveyance of the blessings hereof or with â—s in Christ as we have interest in it after a special sort upon our Union with him by Faith I am of the same mind But if they mean it was made with us in Christ as that he is the only Confederate for us who obliged himself to perform what is required of us and so to repent believe and obey the Gospel for us this I deny and so the Assembly as appears in their Answer to this Question i. e. How is the Grace of God manifested in the second Covenant A. In that he freely provideth and offereth to Sinners a Mediatour and Life and Salvation by him and requiring Faith as the condition to interest them in him promiseth and giveth his Holy Spirit to all his Elect to work in them that Faith with all other saving Graces and to enable them to all Holy Obedience as the evidiâ—nce of the truth of their Faith and thankfulness to God and as the way he hath appointed them to Salvation Q. 3. If Faith be our formal justifying Righteousness then how is Christ the Lord our Righteousness or all the Seed of Israel justified in him A. This I have fully answered above and from thence he may know by Efficiency and Merit Q. 4. If God justifie the Elect by a Righteousness which answereth not the Law of Innocency then how doth he administer grace in a way of justice or what doth he justifie them from or how is he just in justifying him that believeth in Jesus and faithful and just to forgive us our Sins seeing what he doth seems to interfere with Law and Justice A. He supposeth first That God justifieth the Elect if he mean only as such before Faith and so without Faith it is not true 2ly He supposeth that God justifieth by a Righteousness that answereth the Law of Innocency If he mean by such a Righteousness as is the Merit I grant but if he mean by such a Righteousness a Righteousness which we are personally righteous with this I deny If God saith he doth not justifie the Elect by a Righteousness which answereth the Law of Innocency How then saith he doth he administer grace in a way of justice I Answer God doth justifie by that Righteousness which answereth the Gospel or God's Law of Grace if he mean by answering a conformity to the precepts of a Law i. e. the Righteousness of Faith And in this he administers Grace in the way of Justice 1. As he accepts Faith for Righteousness and gives us an actual right thereupon to Pardon and Life for Christ's sake whose active Righteousness was a conformity to the Law of Innocency as it required sinless perfect rectitude both in Nature and Life and his Sufferings which are called his Passive Righteousness which were instead of the penalty due unto us for our violation of this Law both which are meritorious and satisfactory on our behalf and thus the Law is answered for us in the account of the Lawgiver and justice fully satisfied And thus Readers you must understand me when I speak of Christ's fulfilling the Law and in what I have spoken of that 2.
supposition i. e. that I hold Faith justifies as an act whereas I deny it and therefore it is a wonder how Men daâ—e appear in writing to the world charging a Man with that which he disowns and which they cannot prove against him and whereas this Man insinuates that I hold Justification by the simple act of Faith without relation to its object He saith as much as that I hold Justification by that which is not Faith for Faith without relation â—o its object is no Faith How Faith justifies I have shewn and also how we are justified by Christ and his righteousness Q. 9. What is that wedding garment that best robe that change of raiment that garment of Salvation and robe of righteousness that fine linnen that 's white and clean Are these our acts of Faith and Obedience or Christ's Righteousness imputed He â—till sings over the old Song and if he would have an Answer if he will take pains to look back thither where I treat of these matters he may find one Q. 10. If Justification be an act of God's free grace wherein he pardoneth all our Sins and accepteth us as righteous in his sight only for the Righteousness of Christ imputed to us and received by Faith alone as saith the Assemblies How then is Faith itself our justifying Righteousness seeing it doth but only receive Christ's Righteousness which God imputes This he hath puâ—me to answer before in speaking unto the 23d Article of his Faith Q. 11. Whether was it not as possible and easie nay whether was it not more easie for Adam to have obeyed the Law of Innocency being free from sin in his nature as it is for fallen Man dead in Sin to believe and keep the conditions of the new purchased Covenant If so then saith he how doth the exceeding riches of God's grace appear thereby according to such an one that â—â— me whom he names What a Man is this to bring such a thing into question Have I any where or at any time affirmed that it is as easie for a Man dead in Sin to believe and keep the conditions of the Covenant of Grace as it was for innocent Adam to have obeyed the Law of Innocency Thus it is in the practice of such Men as this in the first place falsly to charge such as they know oppose them and thus beget a prejudice in others against them and so bring them over to their own party and keep them fast to them He supposes nay takes it for granted that I hold that which yet I deny i. e. I deny that Sinners have any moral power to repent or believe without the renewing and quickening power of the Spirit of God and seeing his supposition is false his Question is ungrounded and therefore is vain and frivilons for whether he will know it or no I affirm that by grace they are saved who are saved through faith but yet not of themselves it is the gift of God Qâ— 12. Hath Christ purchased a Covenant which accepts of that which is imperfect as such an one still naming me grants Faith to be and so morally evil Is this to honour the Law of God or the death and obedience of the Son of God or to set up the golden calf the fruit of our own brains drawn out of the forge of our imagination and dance about it saying this is thy God O Israel that justifies and saves thee Though I have already said enough for the solution of this yet there is in this which he calls a Question I would have taken notice of i. e. He supposeth seeing that the sincere grace and duties of God's People do not answer the Law of Innocency nor are not a conformity in full to that Law therefore they are morally evil i. e. in plain terms they are no other but Sin for he supposeth Faith to be so and if Faith then all other graces and duties Now I grant that although Persons have true Faith and performs sincere Obedience yet the Law of Innocency in it self or as such a Law condemns them for all this though through and for Christ they are delivered from a condemned state so as that the Laws sentence shall not everlastingly be executed upon them Rom. 8. 1. There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus who walk not after the Flesh but after the Spirit And that because Faith in a Redeemer and sincere Obedience is not that conformity to this Law it calls for But then that true Faith in a Redeemer and sincere in Obedience as such are morally evil in themselves and so Sin this I deny for they are both commanded where then or in whomsoever they are found they are a conformity to the will of that God who commands them And can that which is a conformity to God's command be morally evil in it self or in its own nature and so Sin If this were so then it would be all one for Persons to continue disobedient Infidels as to be obedient Believers and this is uncouth Doctrine Indeed neither Faith in a Redeemer or Mediatour nor yet sincere Obedience under that formality only are commanded by the Law of Innocency seeing it is sinless perfect Obedience or obedience in a Subject where is no Sin that it requires seeing then that both the Faith and Obedience above spoken of are commanded they must be commanded by some Law and what Law can this be but a Law of Mercy and Grace which for Christ accepts of the sincere obedience of Faith when God might have insisted upon perfect obedience in a sinless subject Manifest it is that Man as he gathers from others confounds Law and Gospel which sets him and keeps him sadly wrong and dark in the Doctrine of Salvation by Grace through Christ And yet notwithstanding I have ground enough to think that he judgeth himself to be exceeding clear in the matter and looks upon me to be a silly deceived Creature and that there is no Salvation for me if I die an opposer of his confused notions seeing that by what he saith in this which he calls his Question he accounts me no other than a gross Idolater that forms and frames a God intending hereby the Doctrine I own out of the forge of my own brain and imagination calling it a golden calf which I dance about and call upon others to worship By such disdain as this this poor Mâ—n discovers what his Spirit is And though I could retaliate yet I do not think it my way and therefore all I shall say to this which is downright calumny for he cannot prove what he hath said is I wish there may be the like convictions and hopeful work upon his Soul which sometime since were manifest And that the Lord of his abundant Mercy in Jesus Christ if there be the truth of grace in his heart would take away all that which obstructs the exercise of spiriâ—â—al light life and love with relation to
promise for sinners upon their sincere repentance and faith There are promises of pardon and everlasting life to sinners that repent and believe Acts 3. 19. John 3. 16. Now for any to affirm that these promises are made and the grace promised granted to sinners who repent and believe without regard had by God unto Christ as the purchaser of them by his meritorious satisfactory righteousness is for them to affirm that God grants and gives saving grace to penitent sinners which Christ never purchased nor merited and this is for none but the Socinian to hold 2. This Law or Covenant of Grace thus purchased and granted injoins sinners faith in Christ which faith is never without repentance nor sincere obedience if the believer be continued after the gift of faith for undoubtedly if the believer live in this World after the gift of faith so long as he doth live through the grace of God he continues obedient 1 John 3. 23. Matt. 21. 30. Heb. 5. 9. 3. Christ by his righteousness hath purchased and merited the Holy Spirit to work faith in the hearts of all those sinners who thereby are brought to believe John 14. 26. John 15. 26. The Spirit is sent by the Father in Christ's name and sent by Christ from the Father Let any one now prove that what the Father gives in Christ's name and what Christ sends from the Father is not purchased and merited by him And the Spirit is called the Spirit of Faith i. e. the principal Efficient or Author of it 2 Corinth 4. 13. 4. I believe that all those who by the Grace and Spirit of Christ do sincerely believe shall for and upon the account of Christ's satisfaction and meritorious righteousness be saved but as for such as live and die in infidelity they shall be â—amned notwithstanding Christ's merits and that because they have rejected the remedy through their unbelief I speak of the Adult John 3. 16. 18. 36. 5. I do believe that as the first Covenant did require sinless perfect constant obedience Galat. 3. 10 so this obedience performed by innocent Adam would have been his justifying righteousness or that righteousness upon which this Law or Covenant would have justified him or given him a right to Life promised which is all one with Justification if confusion can but be removed and this without any regard had to the righteousness of another Rom. 10. 5. 6. I believe that as the second Covenant i. e. the Covenant of Grace doth require true Faith so where there is this true Faith which is the righteousness this Covenant calls for on the Sinner's part this Covenant doth as certainly justifie the sinner thereupon i. e. give him a right to Pardon and Life as the Covenant of works would have justified Adam and given him a right to life had he continued in the state of integrity Though observe That it is with regard had to the righteousness and satisfaction of Christ that this Faith is accepted and accounted by God in the Covenant of Grace for a sinner's personal justifying righteousness instead of that sinless perfect righteousness which the Covenant of Works injoined And is not this wonderful Grace I add it is Faith in the sense of the Gospel giveth Sinners interest in Christ and a right to all saving benefits he hath purchased and so merited which right given by the Covenant of Grace is its justifying the Soul as God's moral Instrument Though still I most firmly hold that it is for the sake of Christ alone and his righteousness that the believing sinner hath this right and that this his Faith which is the gift of God is accepted as a personal righteousness instead of sinless perfect obedience I do not say by the same Law i. e. the Law of innocency or perfect works no but by the Covenant of Grace which accepts of sincerity instead of strict legal perfection I deny then with abhorrence that Faith is any such thing as a satisfactory and meritorious righteousness in whole or in part such a righteousness being proper to our blessed Mediatour the Lord 〈◊〉 But then I do not deny but affirm that a true and living Faith is by God in the Gospel constituted that righteousness which giveth sinners right both to Christ and all the blessings of the Covenant of Grace And grant me but according to Scripture Rom. 3. 21 22. Rom. 4. 13. Philipp 3 9. that Faith is a righteousness and such a righteousness as the Gospel calls for and that it giveth right according to the Gospel promise to Christ and his purchased benefits and see then what ground there is to deny it the place of a justifying righteousness I ask doth it give any interest in Christ and right to the blessings he hath purchased if not then an Infidel must have as great an interest in Christ and as much right to Pardon and Life as a believer If you say that Faith doth give interest in Christ and right to these blessings then you say the same with me i. e. that for the sake of Christ God by the Gospel hath constituted Faith to be our personal justifying righteousness or that which gives us interest in Christ and an actual right to the blessings purchased by and promised through him and this is the justification by Faith I intend and all that I know of in and by the Gospel Justification by all is acknowledged to be a Law term if so then the matter of Justification is jus secundum legem a right in Law and this right in Law results immediately from a conformity to that Law and the conformity to that Law is the righteousness which that Law requires And the Legislator or Law-maker justifying a person is his judging asserting or accounting by this his Law a person upon his conformity thereunto to have right to the priviledges contained in the premiant or rewarding â—art thereof If the matter stand thus then in the nature of Justification as is clear none can be justified by the Law of Innocency or that Law which injoins sinless perfect works for we can have no right in or by that Law to Pardon and Life and that because thaâ—â—â—w relates to Man considered in the state of sinless â—ntegrity who as such having no need of Pardon it makes no provision for it And 2 We cannot have right in or by that Law to Life seeing none of the fallen race of Adam can yield conformity thereunto and so cannot have that righteousness which answers this Law And if so as is plain then God the Legislator or Author of this Law doth not cannot judge assert or account that any have a right in or by this Law to Pardon and Life and so doth not nor cannot justifie us by it and if not doth not nor cannot account a perfect legal righteousnesâ— such as Christ's is to be our personal justifying righteousness for if so then we should be personally righteous in the sense of the Law of Innocency But
as they are Men and if so then they must prove the Person is justified but not the Man or the Person is formally righteous with Christ's righteousness but not the Man how this will be performed if the proof of it be undertaken I cannot tell But before I pass this I further urge if Christ's righteousness be the righteousness of our Nature which it must be if it be our formal personal righteousness then it must be a quality inhering and if it be a quality inhering then we are made the Subjects and so we must have that which is proper unto and inseparable from such a Subject i. e. Christ removed and existing seperate from its own proper Subject in this and the other Believer which cannot be the Subjects thereof no more than Christ's Body can be the Subject of the accidents of Bread and Wine in the Lord's Supper Alas alas that Men should be accounting the Popish Transubstantiation such a Monster and yet cannot nor will not see what they themselves are forming And upon the matter I would desire it might be considered whether there be any such thing as a personal justifying righteousness the matter of which is not inherent But it may be further objected if Faith be our formal personal justifying righteousness is not the difference betwixt Justification and Sanctification hereby taken away and so these two great priviledge which in Scripture are spoken of as really distinct confounded and jumbled into one By what hath been said above the Objectors if they will but consider are strangely intanged in the briers of this Objection themselves asserting Christ's righteousness to be their formal personal righteousness and so the righteousness of their Natures and so make the sanctifying Grace of the Spirit of no use But however for Answer to the Objection I shall I hope make it appear that although I affirm that Faith is our personal justifying Gospel Righteousness and also own it to be a sanctifying Grace that Justification and Sanctification are yet distinct and by this Doctrine not conâ—ounded but still keep the difference assigned unto them by God in his Word Faith then as sanctifying is that which purifies the Heart Acts 15 9. it is a renewing by the Spirit of the moral Image of God consisting in Knowledge Righteousness and Holiness Coloss 3. 10. Ephes 4. 24. so that the Soul which was only carnally disposed and inclined before is having Spiritual Illumination disposed and inclined principally to embrace Spiritual Objects and here we consider Faith absolutely as a change of the Nature Faith as justifying gives a right to Christ and for his Merits sake to Pardon and Life by virtue of God's gracious appointment in his Covenant of Grace in his Imputation of it to give this right and here I consider Faith relatively as a change of the state i. e. the Sinner that before was a Child of Wrath and an Heir of Hell upon a sincere Faith hath that relation changed and is accounted by God for Christ's Righteousness his Child by Adoption and an Heir of Heaven and Eternal Life John 1. 12. Galat. 3. 26. Faith as sanctifying relates to Christ as Physitian healing by his Spirit of Grace the sinful distempered Soul Faith as justifying relates to Christ as Rector and Judge who by his Law of Grace hereuâ—â—â— doth declare that Soul who was as a Criminal was condemned in Law before now to be pardoned and to have right to everlasting Life There is as much difference betwixt Faith as it Sanctifies and as it Justifies as betwixt an healing Medicine and a Title and Right in Law to Pardon and an Inheritance So that as the same Person may have divers Offices and may be distinguished according to his Offices so is the same Faith distinguished as sanctifying and justifying The same Man may be both a Physitian and a Judge Now will any Man that is right in his Head say that the administring of Physick and the dispensing and executing of Law are both one because both performed by the same Person Those who accuse me and others of confounding Justification and Sanctification when we say that Faith is our personal justifying Righteousness according to God's gracious Constitution or Law they themselves say that Faith doth not only Sanctifie but that it is the Instrument of Justification Now give me leave upon the Point to ask these Men whether they themselves do not make a difference betwixt Faith as it Sanctifies and as it is an Instrument of Justification if they say yea they do do not they then themselves according to their own notion distinguish of the same Faith as sanctifying and as justifying in their Sense and seeing they will not call this a confounding of Justification and Sanctification What reason have they to call our Notion so when we consider Faith as absolute in Sanctification and relative in Justification as hath been cleared If this be so then it may be said Sanctification must be before Justification I Answer They that make the Objection say this as much as we in case they will have Faith to be the Instrument of Justification for surely Faith must be had before it can be an Instrument unless they can prove a Man may use Hands that hath none But however since this is cast in our way we shall a little essay to cleaâ—â— If we take Sanctification then for the very first Seeds of Grace which in their own Nature have a virtue to dispose and incline the Soul to a thankful acceptance of Christ so that the real consent of the Will is gained thus Sanctification is before Justification But if we take it for a more fixed and rooted habit of Grace so it is after Justification The Heart must be first disposed and inclined to open to Christ that so he may have it for his habitation before it will actually open Hence so soon as ever the Soul upon this disposition doth give its consent to accept of the Lord Jesus to be its only Propitiation Head and Teacher the Sinner hath interest in him and by virtue of the Gospel promise hath an actual right unto the blessed benefits of Pardon and Life purchased by him 'T is said of Lydia the Lord opened her Heart and so Revel 3. 20. But it may be said are not the first Seeds of Grace saving I Answer The Seeds of Grace considered as such they have an healing or saving virtue in their own Nature but they are not actually healing or saving to me until they prevail against the corrupt sinful disposition and inclination of my Will I know in what Soul so ever God Sows the Seeds of true Grace those Seeds shall prove healing and saving through Christ they shall prevail against the sinful corrupt disposition of the Will 1 Peter 1. 23. but they are not thus healing and saving to any Soul until they do so Such a Medicine appointed for the recovering of Health it hath an healing quality but though it be taken 't
union of the Soul with Christ by Faith and so its actual right hereupon through Christ to Pardon and Life and this â—aith as it is the matter of right is the Souls personal justifying Righteousness and the Gospels afferting such a Soul i. e. a Believer to have this right is God's mediate justifying act Consider still John 3. 16. For God so loved the World that he gave his only begotten Son that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life See then upon the matter if it be not of Faith that it might be by Grace and pretend not to exclude Faith for fear you should exclude Grace but fear to exclude Faith seeing that if you do you most certainly exclude Grace for the more of the Obedience of Faith and the more is the creature depressed and God in Christ exalted Rom. 4. 20. He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief but was strong in faith giving glory to God 7. A Seventh Text they would have speak for them is Rom. 5. 19. For as by one Man's disobedience many were made sinners so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous If they mean by what this Scripture saith that God did account Adam's act of his disobedience in violating the Laws to be ours so he accounts Christ's obedience in fulfilling the Law to be ours in it self and that we fullfiled the Law in him I Answer God did not account Adam's act in eating the forbidden Fruit so to be ours as though we had eaten our selves for God knows we neither took received nor did eat of the Fruit in our own Persons our Persons then having no Existence or actual Being And God is true and will not account that to be done by us which he knows we did not Indeed we partake of the sad Fruits of that disobedience having derived from Adam originally by natural Generation a nature sadly corrupted and violated and so are guilty before God and are accounted both by him and his Law really to be so And so God doth not account the Obedience of Christ in his fulfâ—ing the Law to be ours as though we had performed it in our own Persons for he knows and we may know our selves we did not But this God doth for and upon the account of Christ's sinless perfect meritorious righteousness constitute us righteous by his Gospel Law upon true Faith and accounts us as we are Believers for Christ to have an actual right to Pardon and Life 8. Another Text is Rom. 8. 4. That the righteousness of the Law might be fulfilled in us who walk not after the Flesh but after the Spirit I take the meaning of this Text to be this i. e. Christ Jesus having answered the ends of the violated Law by his perfect Obedience and Suffering hath obtained hereby that a Christian's sincere Obedience which consists in conformity to the Law of Grace shall be accepted for Christ's sake as really by God as though he had fulfilled or perfectly obeyed the Law of Innocency in his own Person which now as a fallen Creature he is incapable of doing The ground of this my apprehension are the words that follow who walk not after the Flesh but after the Spirit Now though every true Christian as to the bent of his Heart and Life doth walk after the Spirit and not according to the Flesh or corrupt Nature yet it cannot be that by this the Law of Innocency is fulfilled in him seeing that it must be a sinless conformity that must be a fulfilling of that Law now mark the Text speaks of a personal fulfilling and this by a walking according to the Spirit therefore this Law which is fulfilled in them or by them must be the Law of Grace and not the Law of Innocency And let not Man say still that God accounts that a true Believer doth fulfil the Law of Innocency in Christ for if so that Law must justifie and the Covenant of Grace be made void Christ fulfilled that Law for us but we did not fulfill it in our own Persons in his fulfilling of it 9. The Ninth Text is in Psalm 71. 16. I will make mention of thy righteousness even of thine only What is there in this Text to prove that God accounts the righteousness of Christ to be the formal personal righteousness of every Believer Plain it is the Text speaks of God's righteousness in keeping and fulfilling his gracious Promises which righteousness is no other but his truth and faithfulness But suppose we this Scripture to speak of the righteousness of Christ as Men would have it what will it still be to their purpose all that they can gather from it upon any likely ground upon this supposition is only that David would make mention of Christ's righteousness as the merit of all the good which he both had and did expect and the ground of his acceptance which is a great truth in it self but I do not say it is that which by the Holy Spirit is intended chiefly in the Text. 10. Another Text is in Ezech. 16. 14. And thy renown went forth among the Heathen for thy beauty for it was perfect through my comliness which I had put upon thee saith the Lord God This comliness say they which God put upon this People and from whence they had their beauty was the righteousness of Christ imputed in it self Now if the People would but a little consider what follows they might see this comliness God put upon them spoken of here was a civil comliness i. e. the Peace Plenty fulnses of all temporal good things the Honour Greatness Dignity c. that God had advanced them unto especially in David's and Solomon's times above their Neighbours But come on if so be they will have the righteousness of Christ meant then belike it must follow 1. Believers how mean or contemptible soever they be in this World must be renowned and very famous among the very Heathen for Christ's imputed righteousness And yet alas the poor Heathen are meer strangers to it knowing nothing of it and here is the wonder indeed 2. Believers they may trust too much to Christ's righteousness now I ever thought these Men that are for this strict Imputation had been of a mind that a Person could not trust too much to Christ's righteousness but its like Persons may if by this comliness be meant Christ's righteousness as they will see ver 15. But thou didst trust in thine own beauty and playedst the harlot because of thy renown and pouredst out thy fornications on every one that passed by his it was 3. Persons valuing Christ's righteousness too much and trusting too much unto it may thereby be drawn to commit Spiritual Whoredom to break their Covenant with God and become Apostates from God by falling into Idolatry c. If they will have the righteousness of Christ meant by this comliness and the beauty that was upon this People then they must have these
Innocency that is a righteousness but faith is no such righteousness Conformity to the Gospel or Law of Grace that is a righteousness and faith is this righteousness it is a conformity unto the Gospel command John 3. 23. And this is his commandment that we should believe on the Name of his Son Jesus Christ and love one another as he gave commandment And it is expresly said to be counted for righteousness in the 4th of the Romans Therefore if there be no righteousness but what is a conformity to the Law of Innocency so indeed faith is no righteousness seeing it is not a conformity to that Law and thus the Antecedent would be true but know there is a righteousness which is a conformity to the Gospel Law and faith is this righteousness seeing it is a conformity to this Law And thus the Antecedent appears to be false and so the Consequent 2. Say they Faith is not our personal justifying righteousness because it is a work I Answer This Argument supposeth that there is no Justification by a personal righteousness and if no Justification by a personal righteousness then there must be no such thing as a Justification of any Person at all for if there be a Justification by a personal righteousness then there must be Justification by a work for to tell of Justification by a personal righteousness and yet also to tell that there is no such thing as Justification by any work is to say that there is a Justification by a personal righteousness and there is not a Justification by a personal righteousness because no Justification by any work than which nothing can be more absurd But it may be said there is no such thing as Justification by a personal righteousness of our own I Answer To tell of a personal righteousness and yet say it is not mine after any sort is as much as to say a personal righteousness and not a personal righteousness which still is a manifest contradiction for how can I be personally righteous with a righteousness that is not mine after some sort Yes it may be it will be said Christ's righteousness whereby we are justified is our own by Imputation If so then God accounts it to be the righteousness of your Persons or how can your Persons be justified by it And if God account it to be the righteousness of your Persons then he must account you in your own Persons to be conformed to some Law hereby or else how should Justification as all that call themselves Protestants confess be a juridical or Law act And can you be conformed in your own Persons to a Law without a work We are you may say conformed to the Law in our own Persons by the work and obedience of another i. e. Christ to that Law This now is as much as to say that you are conformed to the Law in your own Persons without any personal conformity still contradiction Well but Christ's personal conformity to the Law is reckoned by God in our Justification to be our personal conformity if so then God must account you to be perfect fulfillers of the Law and if God do this he must account you also to be performers of the obedience that Law calls for or he cannot account you fulfillers After all this now here is the mistery still you will deny that you are justified by a Covenant of Works or by any work accounted by God to be your own Here is the Riddle look who can unfold it so that plain it is some Persons will not have Faith to be a justifying righteousness because it is a work and yet they themselves according to their own notion must and do hold Justification by perfect legal works which are excluded from Justification by the Holy Scripture while it speaks expresly of Justification by Faith as hath been shewn above Well but we are not justified by any works subjectively in us or done by us I Answer you say they are yours by Imputation and if so God must account them not only to be done by you but to be subjectively in you for if God do account me to have personally done this or the other which he must do if he impute what Christ hath done to me and so account his obedience to be my formal personal righteousness he must account me to be or to have been the subject of that work Actiones sunt suppositorum but this I have cleared above But why will they not admit of Faith as justifying righteousness because it is a work I suppose they think it would occasion boasting now the Scripture speaks far otherwise The Holy Spirit in it saith where all is received of free gift there is no ground for boasting and sure I am nothing is more express than Faith to be freely given And the Apostle is express that boasting is excluded by the Law of Faith or that Law which commands Faith in Christ and if by the Law of Faith then by Faith it self where it is for true Faith where it is 't is of that nature as to set the Crown wholly upon Christ's Head and keep the Soul that hath it low and humble But now as to the other Law i. e. the Law of perfect sinless works such works as have no Sin attends them if we seek for Justification by a righteousness which is a conformity thereunto here is a foundation for boasting and that because if I be justified by it I must merit and deserve in my own Person Life by my conformity thereunto and so the merit of another must be wholly excluded this is that now which some Persons do not take heed unto when they say that Gospel works such as Faith in the matter of Justification I mean the qualifying matter lays a foundation for boasting they should prove before they can have ground for their Assertion that Faith hath a purchasing meritorious efficacy but this they do not nor cannot For though Adam had what he had both of Moral and Natural integrity by the grace of Creation yet had he continued to have yielded conformity to the Law of Innocency he might have boasted in this and depended upon it as a righteousness which would have merited and deserved the continuance of Life for him Persons may be high pretenders to exalt Christ and his righteousness but if they will have a righteousness which is a conformity to the Law of Innocency to be their personal justifying righteousness they must have a personal meritorious righteousness and these must open a wide door for boasting But if Persons will have Justification by Faith as a personal Gospel righteousness to give them right which is for this constituted by God for Christ's Merits this wholly excludes all boasting as to the having a personal righteousness that is in it self or in its own nature satisfying and meriting and thus Christ and the grace of God in him in a Sinner's Justification and Salvation is exalted This Law of Faith is
that which the Apostle opposeth to that Law he speaks of in Philip. 3. 9. the righteousness or observation of which â—e disclaims in point of Justification or as that which gives any right to Christ Pardon and Life And therefore the righteousness of this Law i. e. the Law of Faith is called by the Apostle in this Verse the righteousness which is through the Faith of Christ and the righteousness of God by Faith this this is the righteousness which hath Christ for its Object and is appointed by God in his Covenant of Grace to be our personal justifying righteousness This was the righteousness the Apostle would have that he might be found in him i. e. united unto him Very few of our Divines but they hold we are united to Christ by Faith and this was that the Apostle valued above all union with him seeing then the Apostle opposeth that which gives interest in Christ and union with him unto his own righteousness in this Verse that which gives interest then and unites must be Faith and so he must be far from disclaiming it as dung Now if so Persons will have the righteousness of Christ meant by this righteousness through Faith and by Faith then it must be the righteousness of Christ which unites to Christ and so the same thingmust unite unto and give interest in it self But whoever said this But to proceed no further in this let us hear what they have to say for the vindication of this strict Imputation of Christ's righteousness 1. Christ's righteousness say they must be our only personal justifying righteousness because there will be no standing in judgment before God unless we be cloathed with a perfect righteousness and there is no such righteousness but that of Christ's I Answer if the process in judgment should be according to the terms of the Law of Innocency i. e. that Sentence must pass upon Persons according to conformity or non-conformity to this Law then the reason would be cogent But seeing it shall not there is no force in it at all That it shall not See Rom. 2. 16. In the day when God shall judge the secrets of Men by Christ Jesus according to my Gospel 2 Thes 1. 7 8. And to you who are troubled rest with us when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from Heaven with his mighty Angels in flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God and that obey not the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ which Scriptures with others make it manifest the Gospel shall be the rule of judgment Hence therefore as Persons in judgment shall be found such as have been obedient or disobedient to the Gospel so shall the Sentence pass to Life or Condemnation John 3. 36. He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting LIfe and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life but the wrath of God abideth on him Though know it shall be for the sake of Christ's perfect righteousness that such as are found true penitent Believers shall be adjudged to eternal Life at that day seeing had it not been for this his meritorious righteousness there had been no Covenant of Grace and so no accepting of any to Life upon such terms as the Gospel requires so that the whole glory of Believers Salvation must redound to him I speak here of the Adult unless Persons have an interest in and a right unto a perfect righteousness and so unto the righteousness of Christ they shall not be cleared and adjudged to Life in judgment But the Question is Whether all have an interest in and a right unto his righteousness If not Who are they that have Will you say any speaking of the Adult that live under the sound of the Gospel but such as are found obedient thereunto And are not true penitent Believers the Persons which are obedient if so then they are the Persons who shall be cleared and adjudged to eternal Life in judgment But it may be said not for their Repentance and Faith I Answer still not for these as the purchasing meriting causes but upon these as the qualifying matter of right which qualifying matter of right though it be not as is acknowledged a righteousness answerable to the Law of Innocency and so can be no justifying righteousness in the account of that Law yet is a righteousness agreeable to the Gospel and so is a justifying righteousness in the judgment of that Law 2. Christ's righteousness say they must be our only personal justifying righteousness because all that are justified are justified by the righteousness of another and this other by whose righteousness they must be justified can be none but Christs I Answer I do not deny but affirm that those that are justified are justified by the righteousness of another and that by Christs and his only as the purchase and merit of Justification But then that this is the qualifying righteousness of mine or another's Person which gives interest in Christ and a right to Pardon and Life according to the Gospel this I deny For though it be for Christ we are justified yet it is by Faith in him as imputed by God we are formally justified and made righteous which Faith though it be our own and so our own righteousness by free gift and possession yet is none of our own but Christ's in point of Merit and thus we are justified by a righteousness Christ hath merited and God's in point of Efficiency as he by his Spirit is the Author of it And there is this I would ask by the way i. e. Whether Justification be not a Gospel priviledge if it be as I hope it will not be denied Then are not all Gospel priviledges purchased and merited by Christ if so then certainly Justification among the rest And if Justification give me leave further to ask Did Christ purchase and merit his own righteousness you grant he purchased and merited the priviledge of Justification and you say that Christ's righteousness is the only formal justifying righteousness of our Persons must you not then also say that he purchased and merited his own righteousness certainly yes Now pray When or how or by what did Christ this if you say that Christ did not purchase and merit his own righteousness then I ask How did he purchase and merit Justification And how is Justification then in your Sense a Gospel priviledge purchased and merited by Christ It may be you will say that Christ purchased and merited that his righteousness might be imputed by God unto us for our Justification grant this still you must say that he purchased and merited not that which you call the matter of your Justification and so what you say must come to this that Christ did not merit and purchase that which justifies you and if so then that which justifies you must not be that which is purchased and merited by Christ See then however in this if the charge of Socinianism do not fall foul upon your selves
all the bodies that now are and shall be then found sleeping in the dust in order to judgment and a final sentence Acts 1. 11. 2 Thess 1. 7. John 5. 28 29. 31. That all both good and bad that ever have been now are or shall be in this World shall be gathered before him the good shall as Sheep be set upon his right hand and the bad as Goats upon his left Matt. 25. 31 32 33. 32. That he will sentence those upon his right hand to everlasting Happiness but those upon his left to eternal Punishment Matt. 25. 34 to 41. 33. That according to the sentence given by Christ the righteous and impartial Judge so must execution be done both upon the good and bad there shall be no appealing from his sentence nor no repealing of it Matt. 25. 46. Matt. 3. 12. Let Persons consider upon the matter that there are none that assent to the truth of this aright that Christ is a Saviour but they do and must assent unto the truth of all these things which are above mentioned And seeing that Christ a Saviour will save and doâ—h save by the Spirit proceeding both from the Father and the Son it will be necessary to know what truths we must assent unto with relation to the Spirit 1. An assent That he is true God of the same Essence with the Father and the Son and that appears seeing those who are baptized are to be baptized into the Name of the Holy Ghost as well as into the Name of the Father and Son Matt. 28. 19. Go ye therefore and teach all Nations baptizing them in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost He is expresly said to be one i. e. one God with the Father and the Son 1 John 5. 7. For there are three that bear record in Heaven the Father the Word and the Holy Ghost and these three are one Those that lie or act hypocritically they lie or deal hypocritically to God and this God is the Holy Spirit as well as the Father and the Son Acts 5. 3 4. But Peter said Ananias why hath Satan filled thine heart to lie to the Holy Ghost and to keep back part of the price of the land Whilst it remained was it not thine own And after it was sold was it not thine own power why hast thou conceived this thing in thine heart thou hast not lied unto Men but unto God We find Omnisciency and Omnipotency attributed unto him Isaiah 40. 13 and so on Who hath directed the Spirit of the Lord or being his counsellor hath taught him c. 1 Corinth 2. 10. But God hath revealed them unto us by the Spirit for the Spirit searcheth all things yea the deep things of God He is both the Author of Gifts and Grace 1 Corinth 12. 11. But all these worketh that one and the self same Spirit dividing to every Man severally as he will We find the work of Creation ascribed unto him Psalm 104. 30. Thou sendest forth thy Spirit they are created and thou renewest the face of the earth Immensity or Infiniteness is attributed unto him he is omnipresent Psalm 139. 7. 8. Whither shall I go from the Spirit or whither shall I flee from thy presence If I ascend up into Heaven thou art there if I make my Bed in Hell behold thou art there The Power of the Highest or Almighty God is ascribed unto him Luke 1. 35. And the Angel answered and said unto her The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee and the Power of the Highest shall overshadow thee therefore also that Holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God We find the fitting and furnishing of Christ for the Office of Mediatour or Redeemer is attributed unto him Isa 61. 1 2. The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me because the Lord hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek he hath sent me to bind up the broken hearted to proclaim liberty to the captives and the opening of the prison to them that are bound To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord and the day of vengeance of our God to comfort all that mourn The Miraculous work of casting out Devils is ascribed unto him Matt. 12. 28. But if I cast out Devils by the Spirit of God then the kingdom of God is come unto you He may be sinned against unpardonably Matt. 12. 32. And whosoever speaketh a word against the Son of Man it shall be forgiven him but whosoever speaketh against the Holy Ghost it shall not be forgiven him neither in this world neither in the world to come 2. An assent that this Spirit as to its personality proceedeth both from the Father and the Son Hence we find him sometimes called the Spirit of the Father Matt. 10. 20. For it is not ye that speak but the Spirit of your Father which speaketh in you Sometimes the Spirit of the Son Galat. 4. 6. And because ye are Sons God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts crying Abba Father 3. An assent that he hath his mission or is sent both from the Father and the Son John 14. 16 17. 26. John 15. 26. 4. An assent that this Spirit was sent both from the Father and the Son for these ends and purposes 1. To move and infallibly guide those who were Prophets and Apostles that they might perfectly declare the Doctrine of Christ respecting our Salvation 1 Peter 1. 10 11 12. 2. By many and plain Miracles and wonderful gifts this Holy Spirit might be the great witness of Christ and of the certainty of his blessed and holy word Heb. 2. 3 4. 3. To take up the Hearts of all true Believers for his habitation and operate powerfully and savingly in them 2 Corinth 6. 16. Philip. 2. 13. 5. An assent that this Spirit doth unite such as by the Father are drawn to Christ as their head Ephes 4. 15. 1 Corinth 6. 17. Into one Church which is the body of Christ 1 Corinth 12. 12 13. That so these being pardoned and made the Children of God they may be a peculiar People sanctified to Christ Acts 10. 43. John 1. 12. Titus 2. 14. That they may mortiâ—ie the Flesh with the Affections and Lusts obtain Conquests over the World and vanquish the Devil according to their Covenant in Baptism Galat. 5. 24. 1 John 5â— 4 5. James 4. 7. That they might serve God with an Holy Heart in Righteousness of Conversation Luke 1. 74 75. That they may live in love unto and communion with the People of God John 13. 34. Acts 2. 42. That they may live in hope of Christ's coming and eternal Life 1 Thess 1. 10. 2 Thess 3. 5. The summ of these things may be found in the Worcestershire Agreement Now I shall put the Question Whether is not the belief of all these above-mentioned Articles included in a Person 's believing in Christ a Saviour
though the publication of it was but in time and the actual conferring of the benefits as the vertues of the Covenant of Redemption and Christ's performance his actual performance of the conditions of it were but in time yet these did not hinder that Covenant from being everlasting 5. I believe saith he that as Christ was chosen and constituted the Covenant head of his People and the Covenant made with him as the person undertaking so the Elect were therein given to him by the Father to be redeemed as his People Children Seed That there is a number according to the Election of Grace I grant and that all the Elect were given by the Father to the Son in the Covenant of Mediation to be redeemed by him not because as he intimates they were in his People Children and Seedâ— by meer Election but that they might be so by Redemption and the participation of the benefits thereof Ephes 1. 4 5. According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world that we should be holy and without blame before him in love Having predestinated us unto the adoption of Children by Jesus Christ to himself according to the good pleasure of his will Titus 2. 14. Who gave himself for us that he might redeem us from all iniquity and purifie unto himself a peculiar People zealous of good works I deny not Election but do not lay that stress upon it as to think the chosen of God are thereby constituted his People and Children as though Redemption by Christ and the work of the Spirit of grace upon Souls were not necessary Christ is the head of the Covenant of grace made betwixt God and his People in and by him as the Purchaser Efficient Author and the great mean of conveyance of all good therein I grant but then that such a Covenant as this should be made with Christ this I deny for this Covenant is a Covenant of reconciliation and it was not Christ but poor miserable Sinners that needed peace with God Whatsoever this Man thinks I am certain according to the Scripture that the Elect themselves before effectual vocation are enemies to God both in Heart and Life I speak of the Adult 1 Colos 21 22. And you that were sometimes alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works yet now hath he reconciled In the body of his flesh through death to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his sight and if so as is manifest they must be so wrought upon by the blessed Spirit to give their consent to be subject to God as his Children and Servants before God after a special sort be reconciled to them as his Friends and is there not implied in this their renouncing their former Masters the World the Flesh and the Devil and devoting themselves to God and his service sincerely upon which for the sake of Christ God becomes by promise their Sin pardoning God and reconciled Father and is not here a Covenant in form struck betwixt God and them of which Christ though he be the head in the sense mentioned above yet he cannot be a party 6. I believe saith he the Covenant of grace was made with Christ the second Adam and with all the Elect in him as his Children and Seed As the Assemblies Catechism saith It must be granted him the Assembly saith the Covenant of Grace was made with Christ as the second Adam and in him with all the Elect as his Seed But if it be as they say then that which they call the Grace of God manifested in the second Covenant in their Answer to the following Question must be given to Christ for with whom a Covenant is made of what nature soever the Covenant be to him must be given that which is promised in that Covenant upon his performance of the conditions so that if the Covenant of Grace be made with Christ then God must provide and offer to him as a Sinner a Mediator for this is one part of the Grace of the second Covenant and Christ must be obliged to perform the condition of this Covenant which the Assembly say is Faith to interest him in this Mediatour and this Covenant must promise and give the Holy Spirit to Christ as the Elect to work in him that Faith with all other saving Graces and to enable him unto all Holy Obedience as the evidence of the truth of his Faith and thankfulness to God and as the way which he hath appointed him to Salvation But seeing the Assembly do apply expresly this Grace of the second Covenant to Sinners of mankind the Covenant of Grace must upon a practical Faith he made with them and not with Christ unless this Man will say and prove this Reverend Assembly do contradict themselves And if so it is a wonder he should make what they say in this particular an Article of his Faith I would have this considered by the way i. e. did not Christ freely engage himself to be a Mediatour and so oblige himself to fulfil the Law of Innocency violated by Man make himself a Sacrifice for Sin to satisfie God's Justice and so merit Pardon and Life now was any of mankind in this same Covenant and bound under the same obligation with him If any say yea then they must be under obligation as well as Christ to do and suffer to satisfie and merit Christ if not then how could Christ and any of mankind with him be in the same Covenant for to be in the same Covenant must needs be to be under the same obligation If it be said Christ bound himself freely to do and suffer all this for us we deny it not but what is this to prove That Christ and we were in the same Covenant and so bound in the same bond Let it be proved that ever Christ was under a Covenant of Grace and that he was dealt with in a way of Mercy and not in a way of pure Justice and will any say that God's dispensations towards his People are in a way of justice and not in a way of Mercy 7. I believe saith he that as Adam was a publick Person and common head in whom his posterity were to stand or fall Rom. 5. so Christ as a common head and publick person is the head and Representative of all the Elect in whom their state and standing is sure and safe so that they shall never fall nor finally perish I grant all that are given by the Father to the Son shall come and that being brought over effectually they shall have persevering grace John 10. 27 28 29. My sheep hear my voice and I know them they follow me And I give unto them eternal life and they shall never perish neither shall any pluck them out of my hand My Father which gave them me is greater than all and none is able to pluck them out of my Fathers hand And that this their standing is secured by the merits and
some further the word translated Sinâ— offering we find to be â—â—NRâ—â— which signifies the Sin I grant this word in Scripture is translated Sin where it can admit of no other acceptation But then when it is applied to that which was to be Sacrifice for Sin if these our Adversaries must needs have it read in the abstract in this acceptation Sin I would have them to consider it may be more fitly translated expiation than Sin and the reason for this is because as Buxtorfius observes the Verb from whence this Noun comes in the same Conjugation Pihel signifies mundare purgare à peccato expiare i. e. to cleanse purge from Sin and expiate or make expiation And so we find the word used Levit. 14. 52. And he shall cleanse the house with the blood of the bird c The word for he shall cleanse is â—â—NRâ—â— which I hope none that understand themselves will read he shall Sin the House with the Blood of the Bird. And we find the same word translated to bear loss Gen. 31. 39. That which was torn of beasts I brought not unto thee I bear the loss of it â—â—NRâ—â— which Buxt orfius renders thus Ego expiabam illud id est luebam pro illo I did expiate that i. e. I suffered for it I paid for it or made satisfaction Now I would gladly know of them we have to deal with how did Jacob make expiation or satisfaction what by taking upon him the form of the Beast that tare it or by sustaining the Person of the Thief that stole it or was this at all requisite would this have given any satisfaction to Laban let Men consider We have indeed torn as it were the Law of God by our disobedience and offended the justice of God now our Lord Jesus Christ did not expiate or make satisfaction in our stead by sustaining our Persons as Rebellious and disobedient and as an offender of justice but as Jacob suffering for us and making full recompence These observations have been occasioned to be taken by me on another account but do well serve my turn here Touching that Text by the Man I have to deal with alledged i. e. 2 Corinth 5. I have above spoken somewhat unto it This Assertion that Christ took our Sins upon him is grounded upon a false supposition which is that Christ did not only take our nature upon him but also our legal Person i. e. our Persons in a Law sense Now if Christ was the same Person in the sense of the Law with Sinners then there could be no such thing as hath commonly been affirmed i. e. Christ's active perfect obedience to the Law for the Law of Innocency accounts us all as transgressors and if it account Christ also a transgressor which it must do if he be the same Person with us in Law sense where then shall we find his active perfect obedience thereunto He that is looked upon to be of the same Person legally with him that breaks the Law cannot be looked upon as a perfect obeyer and fulfiller of the Law what can be more plain Touching the passive obedience of Christ i. e. his sufferings if Christ be accounted the same Person with Sinners in the sense of the Law then his sufferings could not be a satisfaction and if not then not accepted by God for that purpose And the reason is if they had been the sufferings of a Person accounted by God as our Mediatour a Sinner they would have been the sufferings of a Sinner for God judgeth always according to truth for the Law doth and ever did since the fall account us Sinners and if Christ be the same Person with us in the sense of the Law then by the Law he must be looked upon as a Sinner and if as a Sinner then his sufferings must be accounted by God the sufferings of one that was a Sinner and if so how could they be a full satisfaction to Justice But that Christ's sufferings were not the sufferings of one accounted by God a Sinner 't is plain from Ephess 5. 2. And walk in love as Christ also hath loved us and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet smelling savour And Hebr. 9. 14. How much more shall the blood of Christ who through the Eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God But suppose I should grant these Men what they would have i. e. That the Lord Jesus Christ did perfectly obey suffer and satisfie in our legal Person which I have proved could not be I hope they will give me leave to shew them what will follow upon it and after this I shall leave them to determine whether this notion can be right or no if they will but follow the conduct of Scripture If therefore the Lord Jesus Christ did perfectly obey suffer and satisfie in our legal Person that is the Law accounting him the same Person with us then it must follow that even the Elect themselves in the sense of the Law did perfectly obey suffer and satisfie And if they Christ obeying and suffering in the sense of the Law did obey suffer and satisfie in him in their own Persons then these things must follow according to the Law 1. It must discharge them from all Sin as it accounts them perfect fulfillers of it in their legal Person 2. It must discharge them from all obligation to punishment as it accounts them to have suffered and satisfied in their legal Person 3. In the sense of the Law of Innocency according to these Men it must be injustice in God to charge any Elect Soul either before or after conversion with Sin and he cannot now afflict them for Sin but must be bound in the sense of these Persons to give Eternal Life to the Elect for perfect legal obedience performed in the account of the Law in their own Persons as Christ and they say these Men are one legal Person But it may be said was not Christ our Surety Yes Did he not undertake as our Surety to satisfie for our Sins Yes And was not Sin debt No. It was that which brought us under the obligation of suffering but it was not our debt that is a Man's debt which he is under obligation to pay but were either we or Christ bound to pay Sin I trow not Doth not Christ cry out upon the Cross because of the Father's forsaking him I Answer though he did this was no total withdrawment of Divine favour and love for God loved Christ as our Mediatour while upon the Cross but a withdrawment of his sensible comforting presence and as a Reverend Divine saith letting â—ut upon his Soul a deep afflicting sense of his displeasure against Man for Sin which was his penalty as he was our Surety and suffered in our stead a Sacrifice for Sin But again say they could Christ be afflicted in his Soul for the
How much more shall the blood of Christ who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God to purge your Conscience from dead works to serve the living God And for this cause he is the Mediatour of the New Testament that by means of death for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first Testament they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance Heb. 7. 25. Wherefore he is able also to save them to the utmost that come unto God by him seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them But it may further be said for I shall deal fairly and let him have what advantage upon the point he can He speaks only of the righteousness of both natures united in Christ and intends this is not imputed I Answer there cannot be the imputation of the active and passive obedience of Christ in his sense without the Imputation of this for consider we his obedience in Life and Death as the obedience of one who is not God Man united and so essentially infinitely righteous as God and perfectly in his nature righteous as Man that obedience could not be the obedience of Christ but if we consider his obedience in Life and Death as the obedience of one who is God Man united in one Person and so essentially infinitely righteous as God and perfectly in his nature righteous as Man then if it be imputed in this Man's sense it must be imputed as the obedience of such an one and how can the righteousness which constituted him a â—it Mediatour not be imputed when the acts as they are the acts of such a Person a Person so and so qualified are imputed And were Christ's acts any further satisfactory and meritorious than they were the acts of such a Person as he was If not then take away that which qualified and made him meet to be a Mediatour and see then if his acts in obeying and suffering can be satisfactory and meritorious and if the Persons have satisfactory and meritorious acts imputed unto them in this Man s sense then that which makes them such they must also have imputed And if they say they have not the righteousness of Christ as satisfactory and meritorious imputed then they must not have it imputed at all and consequently deny all imputation of Christ's Righteousness in any sense which I do not for as I have said above if we could take away from Christ's Righteousness which we cannot it 's satisfaction and Merit that which remains with respect to our Justification and Salvation will be none of his But further saith he it is the acts works doings and obedience of this blessed Mediatour that are imputed and counted to the Elect for their justifying Righteousness Mark if God do impute or count the very acts works doings and obedience of the Mediatour to the Elect for their justifying Righteousness or as he saith in this his Article to be the material and formal cause of their Justification then God must account them to have that Righteousness which in its own nature is a Mediatory Righteousness for such were Christ's acts as Mediatour to be their personal justifying Righteousness Now if any Man be accounted formally righteous in his own Person with that Righteousness which in its own nature is Mediatory then he must be counted to be righteous personally with such a Righteousness as is satisfactory and meritorious after an infinite sort and if he be one that is personally righteous with a satisfactory and meritorious Righteousness and this of an infinite value for such was and is Christ's then how should he chuse but be Godded with God and Christed with Christ and be accounted to have that whereby he may be a Redeemer Saviour anâ— Mediatour both for himself and others yea to have Christ's Office wholly put into his hand now I have so much charity for this Man though he be my professed Adversary and for others that have the like notions with him as to believe that they do neither hold nor intend these consequences which are so gross but they themselves lead me by their hot opposition to shew that these are the unavoidable consequences of such a Doctrine if peradventure they may be convinced It is out of doubt with me that many good and gracious Persons have imbibed and stuck to this notion of the strict Imputation of Christ's Righteousness in it self who yet have abhorred the consequences that have been natural therefrom But then their practice hath ever contradicted this notion and hereby they were kept in the way of safety But then I think it somewhat dangerous when God hath set up before Persons more clear light and yet they are so hot in their opposition as that they will not take time to consider whether it be light from the word or no but almost upon the first hearing or upon a very slight trial cry out Popery Quakerism Arminianism Socinianism and what not Suppose we now that such as pass under any of these names do hold this or the truth what must it be a sufficient Argument for me to relinquish that truth because they hold it for my part I do profess to the World let Men think and say what they please that I am for Catholick truth that is truth where-ever or in whomsoever shall be owned by me so far as I can have evidence for the Devil himself believes that there is a great dreadful and terrible God and I believe the same and am certain in that I do well James 2. 19. And I must not therefore because the Devil believes this turn Atheist But after these Men have done what they can they can never make that they oppose into what they fain I am afraid would 13. I believe â—aith he that by this obediential Righteousness of Christ all the Elect of God are or shall be freely justified from all things Acts 1â— 39. for it is by the obedience of one and not by the Faith and Obedience of many that many are justified and made righteous Râ—m 5. 19. Observe the Scripture Acts 13. 39. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that believe are justified and he saith all the Elâ—ct 〈◊〉 seems he likes not this Scripture expression his Wisdom thinks another better and therefore for all that believe he puts in all the Elect perhaps he is for Justification before Faith and so thinks Elect a term more agreeing to his purpose than believe and he thinks not far amiss if that be his notion but then it might be asked from whence he had his dispensation for such a change I believe according to that Scripture Acts 13. 39. that by Christ and his satisfactory and meritorious Righteousness all that truly believe are justified from all things from which they could not be justified by the Law of Moses i. e. according to the Covenant of Grace have a right to Christ Pardon and Life purchased by him and also I believe the truth of that Text Rom. 5. 19. that
cast out And therefore he accuseth me falsly 18. I believe saith he that as one great end of the Father in electing and of the Son in redeeming was the making of the Elect holy so the blessed Spirit the third Person in the glorious Trinity which is as free in working Faith Regeneration and Sanctification as the Father in electing or the Son in redeeming doth in time make the Elect Holy Humble Heavenly righteous sincerely Obedient and fruitful in good works contained in the first and second table of the holy Law Very good thus far I deny not but grant the same only there is this I would have him reminded of i. e. How it comes about or what revelation there is for it in the word that God will now accept of sincere obedience to his commands through Christ whereas sinless perfect Obedience was once injoined Man That it is pleasing unto and accepted by God through Christ is certain I mean sincere Obedience to his commands But that it should be so without any further revelation that this is the will and command of God beside what was commanded Adam in Innocency as he insinuates when he saith in scorn he is not acquainted with my new Law this rests upon him to prove and is like to do It would be his mercy if God would convince him and humble him for his deriding of that as my Law which he must shortly know is God's Law and that which he will judge him by 19. I believe saith he the Elect the redeemed and justified by Christ are under the greatest obligation to duty both moral and positive in their own house and God's house in the Church and in the World this Man hath words enough And that those that talk of Election and Justification by free Grace and yet live eiâ—her in practical wickedness or in the wilful neglect of Christian duties in their Families or Closets or slight the appointments and Ordinances of Christ in the Church when they have opportunity are the greatest enemies that Christ hath that they have caused many to stumble at the truth and tempted some to lay out their parts Wisdom and Reason all which should be used for God in opposing the truth stadying out ways words and methods to cloud and render it odious and these abusers of grace by their Omissions and Commissions do cause the way of truth to be spoken of so they hereafter shall mâ—et with the greatest condemnation and shall have the hottest place in Hell except they repens for whose practice I never have nor shall I hope be an Advocate The most of what he here saith is truth in it self only as for his own practice he speaks of I can neither say with it nor against it being very much a stranger unto it but if he mean by truth what he hath drawn up as Aâ—ticles of his Faith I grant and accept somethings in some of them to be great truths but as for very much contained in them I do not at all question but they are great untruths as I have made appear and may yet further do though I will have this charity for the Man that he doth not think or intend them to be so though in the mean time he deceives himself and is in danger of deceiving others with false notions though I grant a contrary practice a practice that is repugnant to false notions so long as Persons do not willingly oppose clear light it alters the case very much as to Persons states and safety 20. I believe saith he those Scriptures Rom. 3. 21 22. Philip. 3. 9. Rom. 4. 13. which such an one speaking of me brings to prove that Faith it self is our Justifying Righteousness are not for his purpose the two first speak of the Righteousness of Christ God Man which Faith apprehends embraces and takes hold of and cloaths the Soul with as the best robe and whether the word Righteousness of Faith in Rom. 4. 13. ought to be understood of the object or of the act of Faith I shall leave to consideration being perswaded the Scriptures ought not to be expounded against Christ but for him of whom they testifie Mark Reader upon this Article he saith Article 12th that to say the Righteousness of Christ's Godhead or his Manhood or the Righteousness of both his natures united is imputed is blasphemy and here he saith that Faith apprehends embraces and takes hold of the Righteousness of Christ God Man and cloaths the Soul with it as the best robe and how he will free himself from the heavy charge of Blasphemy propronounced by himself he must see to it Touching the Righteousness of Faith spoken of in the forementioned Texts the Apostle either speaks of Faith or wholly excludes it if he speak of and include Faith then how can the object i. e. only the Righteousness of Christ as he saith be intended unless he think that Faith goes to the constituting of Christ's Righteousness but surely he will not say this if Faith be wholly excluded and the Righteousness of Christ and only this meant then why doth the Apostle mention Faith If he say because it takes hold upon and embraceth the Righteousness of Christ I ask then where this Faith is if the Apostle only speak of the object Christ's Righteousness in these Texts He cannot find it unless he will say that Faith it self is part of this object and if so then it follows First That Faith is a part of Christ's Righteousness 2ly That Faith taketh hold of and embraceth Faith for Christ's Righteousness and so Thirdly That one part of the object takes hold upon and embraceth another Thus Persons may see if they will not on set purpose shut their Eves what a confusion and jumble this makes i. e. the asserting the Righteousness of and by Faith to be Christ's Righteousness not Faith but the object â—nly But if this Man will take notice and labour â—o understand I will tell him again what I hold in this particular i. e. Faith as it is the Souls consent to renounce the World the Flesh and the Devil and thankfully to accept of Christ to be its only Saviour which includes his taking him in all his Offices and a purpose through assisting Grace of Obedience to the Death is a conformity to the Gospel which is Christ's Law of Grace and as it is a conformity hereunto by the Scripture it is called a Righteousness and this Faith justifies not nor gives any Soul interest in Christ and a right to the blessings purchased by him contained in the Covenant of Grace as a meer act but as by it the Soul renounceth all Christ's Enemies and accepts of him in all his Offices c. and so relatively so that this same Man with others do me open wrong in bearing Persons in hand that I affirm that Faith justifies or giveth right as a meer act 21. I believe saith he that such an one naming me chargeth many things upon I know not who
in Christ Jesus That we are justified freely by his Grace through the Redemption that is in Christ Jesus and also that we are not justified by the Law of Innocency and yet in such a way wherein God keeps up the honour of his Law in receiving full satisfaction for our violation of that Law unto his governing justice from our Mediatour I firmly hold but what his meaning is I shall leave and not trouble the Reader with conjectures about it 27. I believe saith he this Righteousness whereby God graciouly justifies his Elect and which they receive by Faith without wavering or violating his Holy Law resides subjectively in the person of Christ and yet may be ours by way of gift and Imputation without being subjectively in us else how is God our God Christ our Saviour Redeemer Prophet Priest and King are these subjectively in us I suppose by being subjectively in us he intends that we are the Subjects And proved I have above that we must be the Subjects of Christ's Righteousness if God account it to be the very formal Righteousness of our Persons And whereas he puts the Question how is God our God and Christ our Saviour Redeemer Prophet Priest and King what are these subjectively ours I Answer If he will say as he seems to intimate that God and Christ as Saviour and Redeemer in all his Offices are ours after the same manner that he faith Christ's Righteousness is made ours i. e. by God's Imputation or his accounting it in its self to be the formal Righteousness of our Persons he implicitly saith this If he will say that God's infinite perfections which are his Essence and so God himself are made by his Imputation or are in his account the perfections of every Believers Person and that Christ's Offices as Prophet Priest and King are made by God's Imputation or are in God's account the Offices of every Believer's Person then he must also say that their Persons in God's account are the subjects of Divine perfections and of Christ's Offices as Mediatour which would be Blasphemy to affirm That God then is so in any Believer as to communicate unto or make his Person a partaker of his Divine perfections or give unto him his Divine perfections in themselves so as that it may be affirmed of his Person it hath Divine properties such as Omniscience Omnipotency c. to say this would be horrid Blasphemy And so that Christ as Saviour and Redeemer is so in any Believer as to communicate unto or make his Person the subject of those Offices which he himself executes as Mediatour so as it may be affirmed of the Believer he executes those Offices in his own Person is a like horrid Blasphemy But now I will tell this Man for all this that it is affirmed in Scripture that God Christ and the Holy Spirit do dwell in the Hearts of Believers 2 Corinth 6. 16. And what agreement hath the Temple of God with Idols for ye are the Temple of the living God as God hath said I will dwell in them and walk in them and I will be their God and they shall be my People Ephes 3. 17. That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith 1 Corinth 3. 16. Know ye not that ye are the Temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you Yea and is their God hereupon as it may be found in the abovesaid 2 Corinth 6. 16. But then it is not by giving unto them after any sort what is proper to God and Christ or that whereby God is God and Christ is Christ and so incommunicable But by giving them that which may be communicated i. e. the effects of God's gracious and merciful Power and the fruits of Christ's Mediation such as the quickening healing inlarging teaching sanctifying Sin mortifying Grace of his Holy Spirit which Grace is from the Father as the fountain through Christ as the Mediatour and by the Spirit as the proximate Author and worker and as this Grace is wrought in them and they after a spiritual sort are quickened healed inlarged taught sanctified and have their Sin mortified hereby they are the subjects of it Now for any to talk of Christ's Righteousness being given to them in it self to be their personal Righteousness or that Righteousness wherewith their Persons are made formally righteous for their Justification and yet say he is the only subject of it and that it is proper to him as Mediatour and cannot be communicated to any Creature is a contradiction for if it be given to any in it self to be the formal Righteousness of their Persons it must be communicated to them in it self for how should any Man's Person be formally righteous with that Righteousness which after no soâ—t in it self can be communicated to his Person In its blessed fruits and effects I grant Christ's Righteousness is communicated to every true penitent Believer but in it self not I wish it may be considered Thus I have done with his Creed consisting of 27 Articles respecting Justification PART II. BUT he hath 25 things yet behind which he calls Questions which I question not he judgeth unanswerable But I shall however since I am doing make an Essay and try what may be done by me through God's assistance in answer however to some of them though the most of them are odd and not worth a Man's while to take up time about them Quest 1. If the Covenant of Grace was made with Christ as the second Adam and with all the Elect in him as his Seed as the Assemblies Catechism saith Then how is Christ the purchaser doth he purchase a Covenant that was made with himself as the undertaker and stands fast in him I Answer Nothing will serve this Man but he will be a downright and barefaced Sociniaâ—â— he will by no means hear that Christ hath purchased the Covenant of Grace But I have already shewed that it was no Covenant of Grace which was made with Christ though it was of Grace to us as it had respect to our Redemption and Salvation And that the Assembly could intend no such thing though he alledge their Authority as I have also cleared unless he will shew us that they contradicted themselves therefore this Question is ungroundedly stated Quest 2. If Christ himself be the Covenant given by the Father as it is written Isa 42. 6 7. and 49. 8 9. How then doth he purchase the Covenant doth he purchase that which he is the subject matter of then he purchased himself Answ Reader What thinkest thou by such Questions as these Well he saith thou feest the Covenant of Grace was made with Christ Now if Christ himself personally considered as he intimates in his Question be the Covenant it self how then say Iâ— could this Covenant be made with him I must answer according to the nature of the matter before me Can a Covenant be made with it self or is the Covenant of Grace a Person consisting of two
the truths of the Gospel and if there be not that God would work it God in some measure I hope helps me to discharge that commanded duty of praying for and wishing well to the Souls of mine Enemies Q. 13. Whether a Covenant with terms and conditions for fallen Man to perform to give him right to Justification and Life be properly a Covenant of Grace yea or nay I have shewn there is a conditional Covenant or a Covenant that insists upon such or such conditions to be performed by Man through assisting grace purchased and given before Man have any interest in Christ or right to Pardon and Life after an actual sort Texts of Scripture might be multiplied for the proof which are very express both in the Old Testament and New In the Old Testament such as Isa 1. 16 17 18. and 55. 7. Ezech. 18. 21 22 In the New Testament Luke 13. 3. John 3. 16. Acts 3. 19. 10. 43. and 13. 38 39. God in these Scriptures through Christ offers and promiseth Pardon and Life to all penitent believing obedient Sinners upon which then I put the Question whether Sinners I speak of the Adult have actual pardon and right to Life after a special sort while yet they remain in a state of impenitency and unbelief and so in actual rebellion against God or the grant of pardon and right to life is suspended until such time as they by grace become sincere penitent Believers If any should say the former then they must hold that an impenitent unbelieving Soul one that is and continues an actual Rebel against God may yet have special pardon and an actual right to Salvation which is plainly repugnant to Scripture If it be said that these benefits as to the actual donation are suspended until Repentance and Faith must they not then be the terms of conditions upon which these blessings are made over to Sinners If they were not then I ask why the actual donation or gift of them is suspended until Repentance and Faith If it be said first They are no such terms or conditions which Sinners as Efficient causes do work in themselves or perform without the special concurrence and assistance of the Holy Spirit I grant it If it be said 2dly They are no such terms or conditions which though they be wrought by the Holy Spirit and performed by the concurring assistance thereof as are meritorious of or do purchase a grant and donation of the forementioned blessings this I also grant If it be said 3dly That they are no such terms or conditions which in their own nature procure our acceptation with God this I as the former grant for they themselves are accepted of God only for the meritorious and satisfactory Righteousness of Christ But now if Persons will grant that God hath so knit and joined the blessings of Pardon and Life with Repentance and Faith as that none I speak of the Adult shall have through Christ any interest in or actual right unto these benefits but such as are qualified by the Holy Spirit with this grace whereby they may turn from Sin and give their consent sincerely to be the Lord's Servants and own this to be the order or method in which God through Christ dispenseth us saving grace they say the same I intend for I intend no more when I speak of conditions and terms in the Covenant of grace And this same Man after he hath made a great pother and stir in stating most of his remaining Questions with respect to the denial of the condionality of the Covenant yet under his 24th Question he grants if he will stick to what he hath writ that Faith is a condition of Connection and Order so that if he grant thus much which I affirm with relation to the conditionality of the Covenant which he must do or he understands not himself when he saith that faith is a condition of connection and order he owns as much the conditionality of the Covenant as I. And if so be he own condition of the Covenant of this sort then he must hold that Pardon and life as connected to Faith do immediately according to God's appointed order in the Gospel devolve upon him that hath this Faith or else he must eat his words and deny a connection And if so be that these benefits according to God's appointed order in the Gospel immediately devolve upon him that hath this Faith then they must be promised unto him as such an one and so they are as the Scriptures I have mentioned above are express and if they be promised unto him as such an one then he must have that right to these blessings promised which another that wants this condition of connection and order hath not Now then to our purpose I ask is it Christ that this condition of connection and order respects or is it a Sinner if Christ then we must suppose him antecedent to this Faith which he calls a condition of connection and order to have been an unbeliever if the sinner then this condition of connection and order must be on his part and not on Christs and when he hath it he must be a confederate and not Christ according to this Man 's own grant and if the believing Sinner be one of the confederates hereupon then God promising the blessings that are connected with this Faith must be the other and that with relation to the believing Sinner seeing the blessings of Pardon and Life connected with his Faith respects him and not Christ for Christ himself needed pardon or a right to Life for he never was that I can find in a guilty perishing condition as a Sinnerâ— So that now if there be no Covenant of grace as this Man hath affirmed made betwixt God and Sinners but only betwixt God and Christ And yet Christ can be no paâ—ty in this Covenant but believing Sinners go we upon his own concession how must these things be reconciled or this Man be consistent with himself I shall leave it he may see what he can make of it for he hath granted a condition of the Covenant on our part and this there cannot be without a Covenant respecting us which hath no relation to Christ as a party i. e. in his sense There have been many and great contests about this matter i. e. some affirming the Covenant of grace to be absolute others conditional Now in my thoughts there might be a very fair accommodation for under a different consideration the Covenant may be said to be both absolute and conditional Absolute as the whole of the grace and saving benefits of it are free of meer favour through Christ without respect to any merit or procuring desert in us Conditional as God in his infinite wisdom hath stated in his order of dispensation by Christ that there shall be such a connection or conjunction betwixt true Faith Pardon and Life as that none I speak of the Adult shall have any actual interest in or