Suretiship The Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all Those that thou gavest me I have kept All that the Father giveth me shall come to me His Suretyship is that of satisfaction for guilt past in the Covenant of Works and that of caution in the Covenant of Grace Thus Brinsley Where there is a Suretyship there is just ground for legal imputation but Christs Mediatorial Office is a Suretyship therefore it founds a just ground of imputation to them for whom 't was undertaken There are two Questions the solution whereof might contribute a consiberable light in this affair one is What kind of righteousness that is which is imputed and the second is how far it is made ours by imputation and the one contributes light to the other as to the 1. There is righteousness in Christ as he is God his essential Holiness 2. A Righteousness as he is God-man abstractledy taken from the work of Redemption for us 3. There is a Righteousness in his now present glorified estate wherein he applies what he did for us to us which carries a conformity to the Covenant of Redemption and therefore is a righteousness 4. There is a twofold righteousness in his performance of the mediatorial office for us here below one by reason of its conformity to the Mediatorial Law which requir'd the faithful discharge of a King Priest and Prophet at his hand the other in a conformity to the Law that we were under into which place that undertaking put him As there are four kinds of righteousness to be distinguisht in Christ so there are three degrees of imputation One is only for a persons good Profit or Honour and thus all in Christ is 't is an honour to mankind that there is such a glorious person come of the family he is the light that enlightneth every one that comes into the world he came to restore all things that first relation I have before mentioned as head and end of all the Creatures which fitted him and render'd it proper and becoming that he should become our redeemer was much for man's profit and good A 2d Degree of imputation is for our sake for their sakes do I sanctifie my self when we become the end and he the means and thus the whole Mediatorial Office was undertaken by him the whole of that work was the delivery of Mankind especially the elect although we are not made Priest Prophet and King we reap the benefit of these offices all their causality combined in our salvation and so doth his intercession unto this day 3d. There is a nearer degree of imputation when what 's done is done in our name room and place which Brinsley calls the office of an Attorney I shall give my thought of it by these two properties When Christ doth for us what he was not obliged to do for himself as God-man 2. When we who were oblig'd to do it are freed from the obligation by his doing of 't and under this Christs passive righteousness is comprehended but passive righteousness may justly comprehend the whole state of his humiliation from his Conception to his Resurrection He grew up as a root out of a dry ground without form or comeliness he made himself of no reputation and his first likeness to man was in the form of a Servant and in that fashion he became obedient unto death Great glory and dignity was the due of the humane nature from the first minute of union If a King should marry the poorest Beggar she is Queen from that minute and has a right to share with her Husband in his plenty and honour but a deniedness to this a being emptied of it as 't is in the 2d of Phil. was a great part of Humiliation and a birth of this kind was meritorious the throwing such a thick veil over his proper glory the obscuring of his brightness by such a thick cloud All righteousness has necessarily an active obedience accompanying it or rather is it for a passive suffering without it is not righteousness for all righteousness consists in action and habit and has a relation to the preceptive part of the Law so what had been to us meerly a curse was to him obedience and righteousness because he came under a Law to perform it for what was the penalty of the first Adam's Law was obedience to the Mediatorial Law satisfaction to one righteousness to the other 3. Though Christ as man was bound to obey the Moral Law viz. Not to bear false witness not to steal or kill yet his obedience was in such circumstances that rendered it meritorious all his Sermons and his Death too was a bearing witness to the truth and so an obedience to the ninth Command yet not such obedience as he was antecedently oblig'd to his restoring that which he took not away his being denied to that which was his due was obedience he perform'd to the eighth Commandment His praising God in the Church here below his prayers and faith with strong cries and tears was an obedience to the first table that he was not oblig'd to as God-man He might have been man without being the seed of Abraham and therefore he was not obliged to be circumcis'd which was a great part of suffering for 't was a great dishonour an acknowledgment and publick confession of Original Sin And if our Original Sin thus on him why not his Original Righteousness not as man but as man in our likeness born of a Woman conceiv'd in a Womb and Beza so expounds Rom. 8.1 2. Now there is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus For the law of the spirit of Life in Christ Jesus the Holiness the unspotted Purity and habitural righteousness of Christ as man being imputed to the Believer hath made me free from the Law of sin and death That convinces of the one and binds over to the other viz. Death thus Beza Hemingius Elton Parr Streso Downham As he was the seed of the Woman and our Brother he was bound to obey the moral Law as suited to this estate but there was not a necessity of being born of a Woman he might have become man in a more glorious manner he might have assumed such a Manhood as he now wears there is a great difference to be made between the dues of Christ as Emanuel and as Mediator The Originals are different the one flows from his Actions and Sufferings Function and Investiture the other nakedly from the Union which last remains 1 Cor. 15. when the former is laid down 4. Though the Scriptures point at Christ's Death and Blood principally as the price and satisfaction Acts 20.28 Heb. 9.12 Rev. 1.5 5.9 Eph. 1.7 yet that may well be understood by way of eminence it being the pinnacle of the penalty and doth instruct us that the necessity of the satisfaction was founded in a holy just and good Law and not in the nature of God The satisfaction did not make any
impium de impio pium facit justificatus est ut justus sit Where I cannot omit that the Fathers use the word justifie for making just though the usual Scripture sense is to acquit absolve and the reason is evident from the strict union between them Rom. 6.7 He that is freed from sin says our translation justified says the Original absolv'd or purged says Basil M. deliver'd says Theophilact which still confirms to me that the same grace which sanctifies justifies though in different manners the one by efficiency the other relatively the one by positive influence the other by institution and Aug. p. 1195. shows this to be his sense opus enim gratiae est it s the work of grace i. e. Gratiae donantis et dimittentis pardoning Grace ut moriamur peccato that we dye to sin and indeed the Apostle supposes it Rom. 6.2 How can we that are dead to sin live any longer therein He had been speaking of Justification not Mortification the Apostle supposes it to be one grace that did both and that these two effects are twins of the same birth though not both born one way which may be for an argument to prove that justifying grace finds us Ungodly and Non-workers since sanctifying grace doth And August Tom. 6. in his Book de remissione meritis 't was of Justification as that which comprehends in it Sanctification and Pardon both for his Argument is thus p. 659. c. What way we are justified in Christ that way we are sinful in the first Adam but we are justified in Christ thorough pardon and sanctification Ergo In Adam by guilt and pollution and his Words thus we read They are justified in Christ who believe in him by reason of a secret communication and inspiration of spiritual grace by which every one cleaves to the Lord and is one spirit with him Adam thorough his own sin begot guilty persons and Christ by his grace begets pardon'd persons This was wrote against Pelagius who said We sinn'd only in Adam by imitation And the success is observ'd by Jansenus in his Augustinus p. 103. that he brought Pelagius to own pardoning grace to be free without conditions but not sanctifying grace Great is the blessedness says Pelagius to obtain grace i. e. the grace of remission without the works of the Law and exercise of Repentance for Rom. 11.29 The gifts of God are without repentance He that believes in Christ in that day becomes as he who has fulfill'd the whole Law And the same Author Tom. 3. p. 33. Who knew well Augustines mind and said without that owning of grace which Austins doctrine contains Christian Humility is not attainable having read him all ten times and such Books thirty times says that the grace of remission of sin belongs to the gift of habitual grace not to after actual helping grace which says he my Author delights to call medicinal grace to nature in its sick yea dead state Fewer words are about this grace because Pelagius owns nature guilty but not hurt or wounded by sin and so needed pardon but not grace to regenerate But 2ly A greater than Augustine is here the Spirit of God constantly unites them two and who dare separate them Psalm 32.2 Whose sin is covered and in whose spirit there is no guile The Scriptures the Apostle quotes on the Text Rom. 8.1 There is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus who walk not after the flesh 2 Tim. 1.14 Pardoning grace was abundant toward a persecuting Saul together with Faith and Love 2 Pet. 1.3 All things belonging to life eternal and godliness He calls to Glory and Virtue at once by that call are given precious promises Tit. 3.5 By the washing of Regeneration and renewing of the Holy Ghost being justified by his grace Gal. 5.24 They that are in Christ have crucified the flesh with its affections and lusts 2 Cor. 5.27 If any man be in Christ he is a New Creature 2 Cor. 6.11 But ye are sanctified but ye are justified c. I cannot but take Notice of what gave birth and occasion to the Popish Errors who make justification and sanctification one and the same or that the one is the other viz. The Fathers expressions who understood them still of distinct natures but given at once A ring may enrich a Woman by its native value and marry her by legal constitution a King may arm a Man with a Sword and signifie his royal favour by its gift The Grace that doth justum facere doth gratum facere makes him just in himself and signifies his guilt pardon'd and his person accepted in favour 3ly As Humane Testimony and Divine so reason unites them can a man have faith that is justifying and saving and not be regenerate faith and love being the two first branches of the root of Grace the Heart and Head of the New-Creature and can a man be regenerate and not justified can he have the greater priviledge and not the lesser can he be a Son and not a free Subject I might bring a 3d. Argument from the nature of the Subject viz. That before Conversion and Regeneration man can do no spiritual good thing there is no action of ours acceptable to God but thorough Christ which supposes an interest in him and union with him without faith it is impossible to please God the sacrifice the plowing the praying of the wicked is sin and the foundation of it is We are dead in sins and trespasses until the minute that God quickens us Eph. 2.1 and what can come from stinking Carcasses in the graves but savour of death a loathsom smell We cannot have faith until God gives it it s the Gift of God a faith of the operation of God and he gives it thorough Christ Heb. 12.1 Christ is the author and finisher of our faith I know no Commentator that denies his merit to come in for its proper influence to the gift of Faith Can an evil tree bring forth such fruits or a branch not ingrafted in the true vine when we have no spiritual discerning 1 Cor. 2.14 and having our hearts alienated from the Life of God thorough the ignorance that is in us Eph. 4.17 What good can we do Now no gist less then quickning regenerating grace can do this The answer given to this usually by Arminians and men tending that way is that Regeneration Creation Resurrection are but Metaphorical Terms and one thing they fail in likeness is that the one is wrought by degrees the other instantaneous the one is on passive matter that yields according to the power put forth on them but this is on the will of Man that can resist a sufficient grace to bring forth such effects Resp This the Scripture favours not for it says God works to will as well as to be able and it says When we were dead he quicken'd us 2. This was the Pelagian Error that God gave grace to be able but not to
God's method but our own Not by works of righteousness which we have done but according to his mercy hath he saved us Will we reject the way and method that all the cloud of witnesses were sav'd in and will we be saved in that way never one was sav'd in they attain not unto the Law of righteousness because they sought it or as it were by the works of the Law Christ is the true and living way is there any fault we can find in him is he not able to save to the uttermost is there any righteousness like his it's everlasting Can we give any satisfaction to divine Government like what he hath given Can we bear the Curse and drink the Cup that he did is he not altogether lovely in himself and altogether fit for us infinite Wisdom and infinite Goodness fitted and prepared him and is he not willing that we should share of his righteousness doth not his offer speak it Come unto me all ye that are heavy laden doth not his tears and his sorrows over them that refuse and defer speak it doth not that eternal Chearfulness he undertook his Work with speak it Lo I come in the volume of thy Book 't is written of me thy Law is within my Heart the bent of my Heart is to do thy will and that desire left him not nor ever was abated under the heat of the day and heaviest of the curse I have a baptism to be baptized with and how am I straightned till it be accomplisht with desire have I desired to eat this passover having lov'd his own he lov'd them to the end And will not all this Love towards us kindle some sparks of desire in our frozen breasts don 't we think they deserve an Anathema Maranatha that love not this Lord Jesus Christ The depth and height the breadth and length of his Love passeth all knowledge he was full of Love as he was a man he lov'd Lazarus so and he lov'd the young man in the Gospel so he was full of love as he was a Mediator Such was that love whose dimensions our narrow minds cannot span but he was more full of love as he was God God is love and God so lov'd the World to give his Son is not this Emanuel worthy of our acceptation Gods infinite Wisdom found him can we find a better or do without him have we no self-love for our souls what will become of us without a pardon can we bear the curse of the Law or wrath of God is it not worthy acceptance on any terms but what terms can be better it 's come to God and beg Repentance the Almighty makes the heart soft I will pour down the spirit of Grace and supplication and they shall look on him whom they have pierced and mourn Obj. But coming to God is believing and I cannot believe until he gives me faith which is not yet Resp Put that to Tryal what if the Spirit of God be now directing and quickning thy conscience to this Work and the Language of thy heart is stay until time for Prayer at night or to morrow you will think of it Alas Alas this is the common answer to Gods Spirit himself what wonder the Prophets cry To whom is the Arm of the Lord revealed Lord bless this for better fruits SERMON II. ROM IV. 5 6. His Faith is counted for Righteousness Even as David also describeth the blessedness of the Man unto whom God imputeth righteousness without works IN the Former Discourse you have an account of the condition and disposition of the subject of Justification in this I propose an account of the Gospel-method how God justifies the ungodly it is a different Question from that of the convicted Jews Acts 2. Men and Brethren what shall we do to be saved This is What doth God do to save a sinner that has contemn'd his Authority brought disorder into his Government violated his holy just and good Laws and goes on frowardly without repenting of what he has done the Rebel doth not will not yield shall the Governour yield doth God need us how is it possible to reconcile God's justice and Man's enmity how can a just God justifie an ungodly person The Apostle makes but two sentences of the Answer 1. He imputes his Faith to Righteousness 2. He says that Righteousness is imputed to Blessedness The nature of the Discourse is didactick instructive and there are these three Questions that are matters of no small Moment nor mean Contraversies 1. Whos 's this Righteousness is 2. What is the importance of the imputation of righteousness to a man for blessedness 3. What is the meaning of Faiths being imputed to righteousness I shall only propose what I am most perswaded of to be the true sense of them and what perswades me to be of that mind without using means to confute others I shall leave them to the same liberty I presume on As to the first there are but two general Opinions viz. Either Christs or our own though each are subdivided in what righteousness of Christs it is or of ours My Business is to confirm and establish this truth that this Righteousness in the Text imputed for blessedness is the righteousness inherent in our blessed Mediator and if this one Character of being without works were to be understood abstracted from the Apostles design which is not to exclude works from righteousness but our works and our righteousness I should think it a distinguishing Mark between Christ's righteousness and any mans else for the righteousness of Works consists in a conformity to the preceptive part of the Law but Christs Righteousness consists also in a conformity to the sanction of the Law He was made a curse for us and that is not to work in the Scripture phrase but to suffer though in it self hard work even Soul-travel but doubting the solidity of this I shall propose others of greater stability 1. That Righteousness that is the cause of Blessedness and whose fruit is the remission of sin is the righteousness of Christ for there is no other name given under Heaven and therefore no other righteousness by which a Man can be saved but the righteousness in the Text is the cause of blessedness and pardon there must be some near connexion between pardon and imputation of righteousness else the Apostle did mistake the Prophets sence saying he meant imputation of righteousness unto blessedness when he said Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven the connexion is either pretended to be that of the cause to the effect or some kind of requisite condition They who say this is our own righteousness are for the latter who say it s Christ's are for the former and with reason for our own righteousness wants not works our justifying faith is not without works but this is 2ly The righteousness of Christ and our pardon are more necessarily united than our faith for pardon is as soon given as it These
are more likely sences when David said Blessed is he whose sin is forgiven to mean blessed is he who has an interest in Christ and his satisfaction than to mean blessed is he who repents Nay the Prophet adds that as another thing Blessed is he in whose spirit there is no guile i. e. Blessed is the pardon'd man and the sincere man 3ly He is ungodly when forgiven therefore his righteousness is not the condition of it 4ly C. 3. v. 25. To declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past why should we think the Terms connexed other than what before he unites as cause and effect this is to unite what the Apostle separates our Works and Justification and separate what he unites Christ righteousness and remission 2. It is not supposable to think that Christ's righteousness or satisfaction should be no where mention'd in this dispute about the causes of Justification when it s confest that that is the grand and only meriting cause It is strange that he should dispute about the cause of pardon and yet never mention the true cause but instead of it always a little petty requisite without any causality at all and the more strange that he should so frequently mention that cause under the name of Christ's blood and his being deliver'd for our offences the matter of his righteousness in the context and seldom ever the effect without it but when he calls it by the name of righteousness the proper name by which it saves us for his blood saves us as it is a righteousness a conformity to the law of Redemption that wherein the Law obtain'd its end then it should not be esteem'd his but our own 3. We may learn whose righteousness it is that is mention'd in the dispute by what was propos'd in the These or Doctrine to be disputed which he proposes both negatively and affirmatively viz. Justified not by our righteousness or works but God's we are justified by Gods righteousness this he proposes Rom. 1.17 as the grand end of the Gospel Therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith surely God's Righteousness and Faith by which it s receiv'd are distinct things from thence to v. 21. c. 3. he proves that all our own righteousness is entirely rejected from any interest in this affair and again v. 21. proposes thus the righteousness of God to be that which he now undertakes to prove to be the only righteousness we are justified by But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested and that by God he means Christ Rom. 10.3 4. may be easily learn'd from his words Vnto the righteousness of God for Christ is the end of the Law for righteousness and that it is not call'd the righteousness of God because his gift we may learn from Rom. 1.8 Your faith is spoken of thoroughout the world Faith is a work this is the work of God to believe on his name and faith is a righteousness for there is a conformity to the Law in it but it is ours your faith faith differs from this righteousness as the act and object Righteousness of God reveal'd from faith to faith What unprejudic'd man would call that righteousness and faith the same faith differs from it as the effect from the cause 2 Pet. 1.1 Have obtain'd the like precious faith with us thorough the righteousness of God and our Saviour Jesus Christ Who would wish for a plainer expression to prove that the gift of Faith is the fruit of Christ's merit and therefore this righteousness must be imputed to us before that gift be possess'd by us 4. The Epithets of this righteousness speaks it to be Christs Rom. 3.21 22 24. 1. It s the righteousness of God God was Author Owner Contriver Acter Giver Subject of this righteousness it deserves the name by way of Eminence who could contrive it but his Wisdom give it but his Grace bear it but his Patience work it but his Power possess it but his Fulness 2. Without the Law on two accounts both as to the person and as to the righteousness 1. The person Gal. 4. Was made under the law he came under it by his own voluntary choice not natural necessity as we are hence without the Law 2. The Righteousness was that no precept of the Law requir'd to dye or suffer that was none of its duties or righteousness it was its penalty in case of Unrighteousness 3. It s a righteousness now manifested faith and repentance has shin'd in the practice of the Patriarchs and Prophets ever since Adam Heb. 11. Abel Noah Enoch believ'd indeed Christ's was a new kind the World never saw before 4. It was witness'd by the Law and the Prophets if we take the Law for the books of Moses they bear witness to it Abraham believ'd and it was imputed to him for righteousness the bruising his heel Gen. 3. witnesses his suffering the principal matter of his righteousness If we take it for the Typical Law that witnessed to it for all the sacrifices were Types and Types are visible Prophecies and all the Language is the Messias was to suffer in the room of others to obey a Law for others and the Prophets witness Isa 45. Surely shall one say in the Lord have I righteousness Jer. 23.6 The Lord our righteousness Dan. 9. To bring in everlasting righteousness There are the Testimonies of three Prophets To him gave all the Prophets witness 5. It was a righteousness convey'd thorough faith put on them that believe v. 22. which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe 6. A righteousness that consist in a conformity to a Law which to us is a Law of Faith not Works We are bound to believe his Obedience to all the Law in the Covenant of Redemption but not to work one bit of it Hence we being justified by that righteousness our boasting is excluded v. 27. 7. A faith that consists in shedding of blood in suffering v. 25. These two are to the same effect Thorough faith in his blood and righteousness by faith 8. A righteousness whose fruit is remission of sin v. 24. To declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are pass'd the same Coherence that is in the Text between imputation of righteousness and pardon 9 Rom. 9.4 A righteousness wherein the Law attain'd its full end the Subject Life and Happiness and the Law-giver honour and glory 10. A righteousness the gift whereof glorifies grace to the uttermost the righteousness of an Angel is not such a gift as this is 5. It s a righteousness that is made ours As Adam's first offence or unrighteousness was made ours that never inher'd in us but death came on us by it then it has some relation to us and we to it this is at large in C. 5. where the Author of this righteousness is plainly call'd the second Adam and if that be not plain enough v. 21. he is call'd
whom he justifies its relative Language should be I justifie thee I pardon or absolve thee for the same Gift may have two Uses as a Ring in Marriage it enriches and it marries the one by its own Inherent value the other by constitution so Faith sanctifies by its own inherent vertue and justifies by impuration 3. It shews us what influence the Holy Ghost has in our justification all the three Person concur in all transient and external Acts and in particular this act is ascrib'd to the Spirit 1 Cor. 6.11 But ye are wash'd but you are sanctifi'd but you are justifi'd in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God There 's no more reason for derogating justification from the Spirit of God then from derogating sanctification from the Name of the Lord Jesus The verse contains two Blessings Sanctification and Justification two Authors of them the Lord Jesus and the Spirit two ways of Application of their vertue the Merit of the one and the Spiritual Efficiency of the other in name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of God Some think the Spirits Efficiency in Justification is to give the comfort and the knowledge of it but that 's no causality that may come forty years after the effect but this gives an easie solution to the Text the Spirit of God works Faith which entitles to Christ's Righteousness therefore we are justifi'd by the Spirit and may be is called the Spirit of Adoption upon the same account for the Spirit of Faith and Spirit of Prayer are one and the Spirit of Adoption Rom. 8.15 is that whereby we call Abba Father so he may be also call'd the Spirit of Justification by his working justifying faith and this seems to be pointed at 1 Tim. 1.14 The grace of our Lord was exceeding abundant with faith and love There are two Blessings mention'd and both Preventive exceeding grace with faith and love It is not said and Faith and Love to import barely the contemporariness of the Gift of Pardon and Faith but the way of conveyance thus God gave me Faith and Love when I was a Blasphemer and a Persecutor and with Faith or thorough Faith I obtain'd mercy the Grace of our Lord was exceeding abundant in this blessing in giving faith and a pardon thorough faith 4. Christ's justification is a pattern of ours Rom. 4.24 He rose again for our justification 1 Tim. 3.16 He was justifi'd in the Spirit the work of the Spirit in raising him from the Dead was a justifying act upon him in the World he was condemn'd as a meer man and thereby a deceiver saying he was God but Rom. 1.3 He was declar'd to be the Son of God with power by the spirit of holiness in his resurrection His state of Humiliation was status reorum he was in the condition of a guilty man in prisonand judgment Isa 53. He was condemn'd that he might condemn sin in the flesh and that there might be no condemnation to them that are in him he could not be punish'd under God's Government without sin inherent or imputed Isa 50.8 He is near that justifieth me he justified him in his raising him from the dead and setting him at his right hand so condemn'd him in humbling him at the resurrection his justification and vivification was one and the same thing in different relations 1 Pet. 3.18 He was put to death in the flesh but quicken'd by the Spirit when the Spirit quicken'd him he justified him his death was consequently a condemnation not only by man but God as by his determinate counsel under his Government Sydenham and Brinsley say in his resurrection as Attorney he took up the bond of the old Covenant in Court for his Clients John 16. The spirit now in the Gospel bears witness to his righteousness as our Head and Surety because he goes to his Father i. e. witnesses he was justified as our Surety and therefore his resurrection is our acquittance or solution he had never gone to Heaven else 5. No punishment can be justly removed before the Person be justifi'd or absolv'd the removal of our Spiritual Death by the gift of his Spirit is a removal of our greatest punishment therefore it carries absolution in its bosome and by it we may easily answer the Papists who argue our justification and sanctification to be one because the Scripture mentions a relation certainly above a bare connexion of time Rom. 8.1 2. in v. 1. a connexion but in v. 2. some causality This place says Stapleton Ant. p. 625. is a torment to Beza and Calvin but Calvin's Comment frees himself for though he yields inherent holiness to be the sense of the 2d v. the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or for the influence it has on no condemnation in the v. 1. is thus Non assignari caasam à paulo sed modum quo soâ—vimur à reatu Sanctification contains a way of our being freed from guilt as well as filth of sin I argue against the Papists thus there could be no Argument to prove the one from the other if both were one 2ly This interprets the relation such texts as this and more evidently Tit. 3. 1 Cor. 6. implys between these two twins viz. the same grace sanctifies as a principle of efficiency in the Believer and justifies as a foundation of relation it raises between the Believer and God now let the Papists find one Scripture to torment a Protestant Interpreter with this key in his hand or any advantage to their side who say justification is justification is the ornamental or enriching value of the Ring its marriage vertue or the relation between man and wife 6. The being put in Covenant is also a relative blessing and we are brought thereinto by God's pouring out his spirit on us This is my covenant Heb. 8. There is a very obvious objection against this viz. The Scripture commonly attributes Justification and Pardon to the exercise of Faith Abraham believ'd in God and 't was counted to him for righteousness but this Doctrine about it lays the stress of its justifying vertue on the gift of it and the same objection may be otherways propos'd the Scripture lays the justifying vertue of faith on the object of it it is not a miraculous faith believing I shall be cur'd nor an Historical Faith believing the truth of a particular relation in the Scripture but a Believing on him that justifies the ungodly for justification a believing on him that rais'd up Jesus our Lord from the dead thorough the belief of his being deliver'd for our offences and rais'd again for our justification And 3. The like objections may be rais'd against these Eph. 2.8 That we are sav'd by grace thorough faith and that not of our selves but as the gift of God For we are his Workmanship Tit. 3.5 Not by works of righteousness which we have done but according to his mercy he sav'd us by the washing of regeneration that being