THE SUMME OF CERTAIN SERMONS UPON Genes 15. 6. VVherin Not only the DOCRINE of JUSTIFICATION by FAITH is Asserted and Cleared And sundry Arguments for IUSTIFICATION before FAITH discussed and Answered But Also The nature and the meanes of Faith with the Imputation of our sins to CHRIST and of Christs Righteousness to us are briefely Explained and Confirmed Preached at Dorchester in New-England by RICHARD MATHER Teacher to the Church there And Now by him Published at the earnest request of sundry well-affected and Godly Christians Printed by Samuel Green at CAMBRIDG in New-England 1652. THE Authors Preface to the Reader Christian Reader WHen these sermons were first preached in the ordinary course of my ministry on going forward on the book of Genesis I had no thoughts at that time that they should ever have been fâ—…rther published in this way that now thoâ—… seest But sundry Godly Christians Brethren having heard them delivered in preaching and thinking they might afterwards also bee usefull for the benefit of themselves and their familyes if they might enjoy them printed which they did very much desire they therefore came to mee with a serious solemn request that I would further and fulfill their earnest desires in this thing Against which motion though I alledged many objections 〈◊〉 they still continued to desire as formerly Wherupon at the last considering with my self that God who hath the hearts of all men in his hands might in mooving their hearts to such a desire have some farther â—…ntent therâ—… for his own glory and the good of some or other of his servants then I at the first did apprehend or could perceive I therupon began to consider further of the motion and having perused revised some brief notes which I had by me of those sermons I imparted to them a Copye therof yet with renuall of my former objections against printing and proposing to their consideration whether it might not be best to satisfie themselves with that writteâ—… copie and to let the printing alone But their desires continued as afore and thence it commes to pass that the sermons are committed to publick view Which I thus aquaint the Reader withall partly as some excuse for my self that I would publish such plain stuff as here is contâ—…ned in such a knowing and Criticall time as this is for the importunity of request hath compelled me thereto and partly that if any sober and honested hearted christian receive any benefit hereâ—…y hee may know to whom he is indebted for the same even chiefly to the Lord as the principall Author of all good and then unto those godly Christians who have been the instruments of bringing these sermons to be publick which had it not been through their importunity had never seen the light in this way I deny not but sundry of the things here treated of viz the grace of Faith Justification by faith and the Imputation of Christs Righteousness unto justification are mayn and principall points of christian religion and such as that the ignorance of them or erroneous apprehentioÌ„s about them can not but be very perilous in which respect it is the more needfull that the people of God should be established in the belief love of the truth concerning such points as these are And for this cause I the rather yeilded to publish what here thou seest being so importuned therunto as I have said if I might by the blessing of Christ afford any little help to the end afore mentioned And so much the rather because Satan that enemy of all truth father of lyes hath endevoured not only of old but of late also to corrupt the mindes of many people touching these things Heretofore and still amongst the popish sort he would perswade to an opinion of justification by works and not by faith only And now when the perniciousness of that Tenent begins to be more generally discerned he labours to undermine the truth another way instilling into the minds of some a conceit that they may be justified not only without their own works but also without the grace of faith And because it would be too gross at the first to cry down all use of faith which the Spirit of God in the holy Scripture doth so abundantly urge extoll and that therfore such a conceit at the first would hardly take amongst them that have any acquaintance with the Scripture therfore the crafty enemy allowes for the time that there may be some use of faith about this matter of justification viz to know or be assured by it of justification preceding and that though we are justified indeed afore faith yet wee did not know it afore but now do know it by faith A palpable perverting of the truth of God plainly and plenteously laid down in his word especially in Pauls epistles wherin you shall never read of knowing by faith that we are justified without faith or before faith Such language is a stranger in Gods book and amongst the oracles of God and far discrepant from the form of wholsom words wherin nothing is more frequent then that we are justified by faith Now to turn this word Wee are justified into this meaning wee know that we are justified in which sence it will be hard to find it so much as once used in any place where justification by faith is spoken of is a manifest metamorphosing of the words of the Holy one and a wresting of the Scripture I fear unto mens own destruction 2 Pet 3. 16. But do you think that Satan will rest here It is rather to be seared if this delusion takes place a while this use of faith which is yet allowed will be denyed also For some are already come to this to deny that there are any gifts or graces at all in the hearts of justified persons Which if it were true then there is no faith in them and if there be no faith then it is not by faith that men do know their justification for how can they know it by that which is not And â—…o as now they deny that men are justified by faith so when where this other delusion takes place to deny all inherent graces there men must hold that justification may not only be but also be known without faith or else not be known at all A lamentable dreadfull issue wherat Satan drives and whereto this opinion tends if God do not in mercy prevent And because this is a time wherin not only these but many other unsound opinions and some of them very pernicious are scattered abroad therfore I hope the godly Reader will bear with me if out of my unseyned desire of his salvation and of the honour of Jesus Christ and his truth I shall here propound some sew helps for a christians preservation in the truth from the prevailing power of errour And let not this be thought a needless buâ—…siness nor let any that loveth his own salvation give way to
righteous then neither was he nor can any other be accounted righteous before believing But the former of these is abundantly restified in the Scriptures of truth Rom 3. 22 23 30. 4. 2 3 22 23. Galla 2. 16. and therfore the latter is true also We may be Iustified before faith yet be said to be justified by faith namely declaratively faith declaring assuring to us that wee are justifyed before we are said to be Iustified by faith because we know by faith that we are Iustified This cannot be the meaning of that saying we are justified by faith For 1 Then we may in that sence be said to be Iustified by any other grace as well as by faith yea by works of grace as well as by faith because these are evidences of our Iustification witness 1 Iohn 2. 3 4 29. 3. 7 10 14. James 2. 14. c For example by love to the bretheren wee know wee are translated from death to life and so are Iustified shall any man now say that wee are Iustified by love to the brethren that were directly to contradict the Scripture which saith we are not Iustified by works And yet if to be Iustified mean no more but to know we are Iustified then we may say indeed that we are Iustified by works which the Apostle doth so plainly largely gainsay And therfore to be justified by faith hath a farther meaning then only that we are Iustified 2 By the like reason we might say that the world was created by faith which were a very absurd saying and yet it is most true that by faith we understand or knâ—… that the world was created by the word of God Heb 11. 3. And by the like reason wee might say that wee are Elected by faith for by saith wee may understaÌ„d and know our election The sumâ—… is though by faith we know our election the creation yet it were an improper speech and such as the Scripture never useth to say we are elected by faith or that the world was created by faith and in like sort it weâ—…e an improper speech and such as the Scripture would never have used to say wee are Iustified by faith if no 〈◊〉 had been ment hereby but only the knowledg of our Iustificatâ—…on God justâ—… the ungodly Rom 4. 5. and therfore such as have not faith That doth not follow 1 Because that very text saith these ungodly ones dâ—…d 〈◊〉 and that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 This expâ—…sition of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God Iâ—…tifieth to 〈◊〉 it of unbelievers is dâ—…tly 〈◊〉 to the Scripture which say that God Iustifieth those that do 〈◊〉 and have â—…aith Rom 3. 26 28 30. Acts 13. 39. and none others John 3. 18. 3 The ungodly one in this text is one that hath not fulfilled the righteousness of the Law and so to justifie the ungodly is no more but to justifie without the works of the Law or not by works which may be and yet not without faith 4 If wee shall extend the woâ—…d further then we must not take that saying in sensu composito but in sensu diviso that is not that he is now when God juâ—…es 〈◊〉 so â—…godly as to be without faith but that he was so heretofore thouâ—…h now God hath given him more grace As when it is said the laâ—…e man shall leap as an Hart and the dumb sing the blind sâ—… the deaf hear Isai 35. 6. Luke 7. 22. No man must herupon imagin that they did these things while they so remayned for that was utterly imposible that a lame man should leap as an Hart whilest he remained lame or a dumb man sing whilest he still remayned dumb and so of the rest but the meaning is they that were once lame dumb deaf should afterward be inabled to leap sing see hear these acts should be performed by such as had been such as is mentioned though now they were not such Wee may as well conclude from these texts that blind men may see while they continue blind so of the rest as tâ—… conclude from the text in hand that an ungodly man an unbeliever 〈◊〉 justified of God whilest he is an ungodly man an unbeliever When some rich man marryeth a poor beggar we say he married one that had scarce raggs to her back but the meaning is not that he married her in her raggs but bestowed on her fitting apparrell and so married her So God justifies the ungodly such as had neither faith nor any other grace but the meaning is not that he justifies them in their unbelief but bestows the grace of faith upon them and then Iustifies them In believing we do not believe an untruth but a truth and therefore it is a truth that we are Iustified afore we do believe It is true indeed that a man must be Iustified before hee can rightly believe himself to be Iustified but not before he believe on Christ for Iustification or unto righteousness A man can not rightly believe that he 〈◊〉 Iustified before he be Iustified for then he should therin believe a falshood nor can he be Iustified afore he do believe on Châ—…st for Iustâ—…cation The Scripture speakes little of man believing himself to be Iustified but much of bebelieving on Christ that he might be justified Gal 2. 16. Rom 20. 10. Now to believe on Christ is not an assurance or perswasion of being Iustified already but is that act of the soul of the will especially wherby a man comes to Christ receiveth Christ relyes on Christ chuseth Christ c that in him he might be justified and saved And when this is done then there is room for that other belief or perswasion of being Iustified already but not before according to that Ephe. 1. 13. after ye believed ye were sealed with that holy spirit of promise To beleive a mans self to be in a good and Iustified estate afore he have received Christ by faith what is it but the vain presumption carnal confidence of poor deluded soules as if a woman should perswade her self of title interest to a wealthy mans estate yet was never married to him Therfore afore a man can believe aright that he is justified he must first be united and married to Christ by believing on him and then therby he shall be justified indeed and so he may safely believe his justification All Gods people were justified when Christ made satisfaction for their sinns by his death resurrection Rom 4. 25. hâ—…e was raysed again for our â—…stification Now this was above 1600 years agoe and therfore long afore our believing It is true the death resurrectioÌ„ of Christ was long afore our believing and afore we were born into the world But what shall be said to Abram Isaak Jacob David and the rest of the Saints that lived long afore the Incarnation of Christ It can not be denyed but that they
our righteousness is injurious to Christ as placing faith in Christs room and so making faith to be our Christ 3 Faith doth justifie only relatively in respect of its object Christ Iesus or instrumentally as the hand that receiveth Christ and his righteousness As a mans hand may be said to feed him because it receiveth the meat or to cloath him because it receiveth his apparell or to inrich him because it receiveth a pearl of great value So a mans faith is said to justifie him because it receiveth Christ the righteousness of Christ And indeed what ever is done by faith in this such like matters of our salvation all is done with referēce to Christ and as faith is the instrument that receiveth Christ and no otherwise And therfore what things are said to be done by faith wee shall find they are still said to be done by Christ For instance wee are justified by faith Rom 3. 28. Gal. 3. 22 24. but wee are justified by Christ Isai 53. 11. Eternall life is by faith Iohn 3. 16 36. but it is by Christ 1 Iohn 5. 11 12. Wee are saved by faith Eph 2. 8. but wee are saved by Christ Iohn 3. 17. Math 1. 21. Wee live by faith Hab 2. 4. Gal. 2. 20. but wee live by Christ Iohn 6. 57. 14. 19. Forgiveness of si◅s is by faith Acts 10. 43. 26. 18. but it is by Christ Acts 13. 38. Ephe 1. 7. In like sort when faith is said to be imputed unto righteousness wee must understand it that Christ his righteousness is imputed But now as faith can do nothing but with reference to Christ so Christ will do nothing in this buisiness of justifying a sinner but by faith But as it is said Acts 3. 16. His name through faith in his name had healed the man that had been lame so it may be said Christ his righteousness through faith in him his righteousness doth justifie the sinner For these grounds are certain cannot be denyed 1 That God doth not justifie any without righteousness but by for a righteousness and such as one as is entire perfect Pro 17. 15. Exod 34. 7. Rom 2. 2. 3. 26. 2 That this perfect righteousness is not to be had in our selves Rom 3. 10. Psal. 143. 2. 3 That this perfect righteousness is in Christ and not elsewhere Jer 23. 6. Isai 45. 24 25. 2 Cor 5. 21. Rom 5. 9 19. 4 That this righteousness of Christ cannot justifie us till it be communicated applyed and so be made ours even as meat doth not feed a man till he take it eat it apparell doth not warm a man till he receive it put it on a pearl though of never so much value doth not enrich a man till he receive it and have it in possession as his own 5 Faith is the hand instrument for receiving of Christ his righteousness Iohn 1. 12. Eph. 3. 17. and by this meanes or in this way wee are justified by faith and not otherwise Therfore in Gal 2. 16 17. wee find that to be justified by faith and to be justified by Christ are Synonymaes that is of the same signification for that which in the one verse is called justification by faith is in the other called justification by Christ But Christ is the object of love of other graces as well as of faith why then should faith justifie in respect of its object any more then love or other graces Because faith is appointed of God in the covenant of grace to this office Iohn 3. 16. Acts 16. 31. which can be said of no other grace And there is good reason why faith should have this office even because faith is that which gives all to Christ to Gods free grace in him for therfore is it of faith that it might be by grace Rom 4. 16. Ephe 2. 8. it being the very propertie ◅s I may say the ingenie of faith to bring nothing of its own for a mans justification but to come naked emptie unto Christ to receive all from him and from Gods free grace in him 4 It is ◅y faith alone that wee are justified Justification is not only by faith at the first but alwayes by faith as long as a man lives So that though a man be furnished with never so many excellent vertues graces duties services c yet it is not by any of them nor all of them but still by faith by faith only that he must be ◅ustified in Gods sight For which purpose this example of Abram is very observable convincing for Abram as was observed before had afore this time done many excellent services in leaving his kindred and country at Gods command in building Altars and calling on the name of the Lord where ever he came in yielding to his inferiour Lot for peace sake in rescuing him out of captivity with the perill or hazard of his own liberty life in his contempt of riches offered to him by the King of Sodom c Yet after all this the Holy-Ghost placeth his justification in none of these things but only in his believing If Abram had had no works then it might have been said he was justified by faith through want of works but sith he abounded with store of excellent works and yet is justified by faith we may conclude that justification is not by faith works much less by works alone but by faith only So Paul tells of himself Phil. 3. 7 8 9. that for time past he did count all things loss for Christ and saith he for the present I do so also and for time to come even when Christ shall come to judgment I then desire to be found in Christ not having my own righteousness but that which is by the faith of Christ Hence it is said wee are justiffied freely by his grace Rom 3. 24. which two words do shew that all works are excluded and so works are expressly excluded that faith alone may be established Rom 3. 28. Galla 2. 16. Ephe. 2. 8. If Justification be by faith then it can not be by works not by any tighteousness of our own either inherent or actuall either inward vertues graces or outward dutyes of obedience the reason is because faith works are opposite in this matter and can not stand together Rom 3. 28. Gal. 2. 16. And the Scripture plainly teacheth that justification by woks is impossible Acts 13. 39. Rom 8 3. They then are greatly deceived that think a man may have the righteousness of justification without faith and that faith is of no use in this matter but only to assure a man of his justification as already past done wheras the truth is justification is not afore faith but by faith viz as by an hand or instrument to receive the righteousness of Christ which righteousness of Christ is the matter that being
received doth justifie and faith the hand to receive it That there is no actuall justification of a man afore faith whether from eternity or otherwise may be farther cleared by these reasons Reas 1 Justification is after vocation or effectuall calling for whom he called them he justified Rom 8. 30. and if so then it is after faith because faith is wrought in vocation as being the answer of the soul to the call of God calling the soul to come to God in Christ wherunto when the soul doth answer come as it alwayes doth when the calling is savingly effectuall this answer this comming is faith Jer 3. 22. faith being wrought in calling and calling being be◅ore justification it must needs be that faith is before justification Reas 2 Faith hath the same place in Justification as the Israelites looking on the brazen Serpent had in their healing Joh. 3. 14 15. Now they were not first healed and then must look up to the Serpent see what it was that had healed them but first they must look up to the Serpent and so therby be healed Numb 21. 7 8 9. to teach that wee must first look up to Christ by the eye of a lively faith and then therby be iustified from our sinns And accordingly the Prophet tells us that in the Lord there is righteousness and strength wherby wee may be justified saved but we are bidden to look unto hi◅ then wee shall be justified saved therby Isai 45. 22 24 25. Reas 3 If a man be Justified afore faith then a man may be in state of Iustification in state of condemnation both at once For afore a man have faith he is in state of condemnatiō the wrath of God abtdeth on h◅ Iohn 3. 18 36. But these two states are so opposite contrary that it is not possible that a man should be in both at once Reas 4 Afore a man be a believer the Spirit of God witnesseth to a man that he is not justified but the contrary For at that time it convinceth the soul to be in a state of bondage and therupō fills it with fear Rom 8. 15. Now if a man were justified afore this fear were needless this bondage were unjust and this witness of the Spirit not true which were horrible to think Reas 5 If a man be not Justified by faith but afore it and that faith doth only declare assure unto a man that he is justified already then a man may as well be said to be justified by any other grace as by faith and so there will be no difference between faith and any other grace in this matter of justification The reason is because other graces may declare a man to be justified as signes fruits all the graces of Sanctification do that But the Apostle makes a great differēce between faith other graces in this matter teaching that we are not justified by any of them but are justified by faith The question was not whether good dutyes commanded in the Law did declare a man to be justified for that the Apostle would never have denyed but here was the question whether they did actually justifie a man as Instruments of his justification and this the Apostle doth constantly deny and yet every where ascribes this office unto faith Reas 6 The Scripture expressly witnesseth of believers that there was a time when they were in a state of wrath condemnation without Christ and without God in the world in the same state that others were that should never in◅erite the kingdom of heaven not a people not beloved not having obteined mercy and many the like Eph 2. 1 2 3 12. 1 Cor 6. 9 10 11. Rom 9. 25 26. 1 Pet. 2. 10. Now how all this should be and yet at this very time they be in a state of justification also is altogether inconceivable impossible Reas 7 All that are justified do doubtless please God but without futh it is imp◅sible to please him Heb 11. 6. and therfore without faith it is impossible to be justified Reas 8 Justification is a benefit afforded only to them that are in Christ Rom 8. 1. 1 Iohn 5. 12. But no man is in Christ without faith but by faith Ephe 3. 17. Rom 11. 20 23. they that were without faith were w◅thout Christ also Ephes 2. 12. And therfore no man is actually justified without faith Reas 9 To say that we are ◅ustified from Eternity hath many great absurdities or inconveniences in it and therfore it may not bee admitted For 1 Then the people of God never were in a state of sin For to be in a state of sin and to be justified from sin are contrary But certeyn it is the time was when the Elect were in a state of sin of misery of curse as the Scriptures do abundantly testifie Ezek 16. 2 3 4. c Rom 7. 4 5. c 6. 17 18. Tit 3. 3. And by verse 4 5 6 7. of that chap the 3 of the Epistle to Titus it appeareth that Iustification came afterward in time But this opinion of Iustification from Eternity takes away or denyes that ever there was any state of sin and theupon all humiliation for such a state is closely taken away also and made needless For why should a man lay to heart his misery by reason of such a state and lament it bewayl it be greived for it if there never was any such state but that he was in a justified estate from eternity 2 Then we were guilty of sin condemnation from Eternity and this much more because Iustification is from a guilty condemned estate and the terminus a qno must needs be before the terminus ad quem the state from which must needs be a◅ere the state to which 3 Then Iustification is the same with Election or Predestination which in Scripture are made distinct benefits Rom 8. 29 30. 4 Then Iustification is without respect to the merits obedience of Christ the reason is because the eternall actions of God as Election Predestination are not for Christs righteousness obedience but Christ himself is the fruit of our Election If from eternity we be in a justified estate then we may say as Gal 2. last that Christ dyed in vayn for what need was there of any atonement to be made by the righteousness death of Christ when by this opinion wee were in a justified estate before 5 Then we may say wee are gloryfied from eternity the reason is because Gloryfication doth immediatly follow Iustification Rom 8. 39. Titus 3. 7. Now to say we are gloryfied from eternity is to excuse Hymeneus Phyletus in that they said the resurection was past already 2 tim 2. 17 18. So many great absurdities are in it to say that wee are Iustified from eternitie Reas 10 If wee be Iustified by faith then not before faith If Abram believed therupon was accoūted
never sinned 2 Faith is said to be imputed Rom 4. 5 9 22 23 24. And how is that meant when faith is said to be imputed There are two wayes how that is understood First of all when faith it self is said to be imputed that is to be imputed reckoned to us as our own though it be not our own any otherwise then as the gift and work of God in us according as it is said to be the gift of God Phil. 1. 29. Ephe. 2. 8. and that no man can come to Christ that is believe in him except he be drawn by the father Ioh. 6. 44. But yet when God hath given faith he then imputes and reckons this faith as ours though himself have wrought it in us And this may seem to be needfull to the end that Christ his righteousness which by faith we possess may be our own and imputed reckned to us as our own For though Christ righteousness be a perfect righteousness and we possess it by faith yet how can it be accounted ours unless faith it self the meanes of possessing it bee counted ours but when faith is accounted ours then the righteousness of Christ possessed by faith is accounted ours also If we take the imputing of faith in this sence then when faith is said to be imputed or counted for righteousness that particle for must not be so understood as if faith it self were in the room and steed of righteousness for it hath been shewed â—…fore that such an apprehention will not stand or agree with truth But the word for doth here only note why or wherfore as if it were rendered faith is impuâ—…a unto righteousness that is to say to the end we may attain unto righteousness And in another-place the same preposition is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 twice in one veâ—… Rom 10. 10. with the heart man believeth unto righteousness with the mouth confession is made unto salvation and so it might be here Rom 4. faith is imputed unto righteousness This exposition of the phrase when faith is said to be accouÌ„ted or imputed for righteousness is given by some very godly judicious and I mention it as worthy consideration But that sense of the word which is more usually given and wherin I should rest is when faith is taken relatively for its object which is Christ his righteousness and so these words faith is accounted for righteousness have this meaning that Christ and his righteousness are so accounted For as hath been shewed afore it is not unusuall that faith should be taken in this sense namely for its object Christ Jesus That which in one verse is called faith in another is called Christ Gal. 2. 16 17. so likewise Gal. 3. 23 25. of which sense more hath been spoken afore 3 There is yet another expression in this matter of imputation and that is the imputing of righteousness which phrase is used Rom 4. 6 11. So then for the form manner of justification there is the not imputing of sinn and the imputing of righteousness and the imputing of faith unto righteousness But for farther opening of this point of Imputation sundry questions may be proposed viz 1 VVhat is that righteousness which God doth impute unto us for our justification It is the righteousness of Jesus Christ our Redeemer Mediatour that which was wrought by him in his own person this righteousness of his is imputed unto us by God and the imputation of it is the formal cause of our justification That this righteousness of Christ is imputed to us such reasons as these may make manifest 1 If righteousness be imputed as the text plainly expressly affirms that it is Rom 4. 6 1â—… then it must either bee our own righteousness that is so imputed or else the righteousness of some other But our own righteousness it can not bee for wee being all sinners have none such of our own as can justifie us Rom 3. 10. Psal. 143. 2. Isai 64 6. And besides this righteousness is said to be imputed without works Rom 4. 6. that is without our own works so that the righteousness of our own works is not imputed It must then be the righteousness of another Now that other can be none else but Christ alone Any other whose righteousness may be imputed for justification besides Christ can not be imagined 2 The text is plain that we are justified by Christ his righteousness Jer 23. 6. Isai 45. 24 25. Rom 5. 9 19 1 Cor 1. 30. And if so then his righteousness is imputed to us because there is no other way how it can be coÌ„municated to us but by imputation And yet communicated it must be else how shall wee be justified by it Riches Pearls of great value can make no man rich till they be applyed and become his own and so it is in this case 3 As we are made sinners by the sin of Adam so are we made righteous by the righteousness of Christ Rom 5. 19. 1 Cor 15. 22. But we are made sinners by the sin of Adam by imputation for the guilt and punishment of that sinn can no otherwise be made ours And therfore we are made righteous by the righteousness of Christ by imputation 4 Look how Christ was made a sinner by our sinn so are wee made righteous by his righteousness 2 Cor 5. 21. Now how was Christ made a sinner by our sinn not inherently as if there were any sin inherent in him either in his heart or life the Scripture is express against that Heb 4. 15. 1 Pet 2. 22. for he knew no sinn in that sence 2 Cor 5. 21. It were a most wicked thing to imagine any such matter of him And therfore it remayneth that he was made a sinner by imputation only he was made sinn for us 2 Cor 5. 21. the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all Isai 53. 6. But now this also may be questioned by some Whether our sinns were imputed to Christ and whether he bare any punishment due to us for our sinns There are sundry reasons that may clear this also 1 It may be cleared by all those Scriptures where it is said that Christ suffered and dyed for our sinns Rom 4. 25. 5. 6 8. 1 Cor 15. 3. 1 Pet 3. 18. Isai 53. 5 8. Heb 2. 9. Christ did not dy wâ—…out a cause Gal. 2. last for our sinns were the cause And if our sinns were the cause of his death and that he dyed for them then they were imputed to him so that when he suffered and dyed he bare the punishment of our sinns 2 Christ is said to bear our sinns 1 Pet. 2. 24. Isai 53. 11 12. Now to hear them doth imply that he bare the punishmeÌ„t of them and that they were imputed to him for that end For wheras some do think that to bear our sinns doth signifie no more but that hee bare them away from us without bearing