THese words are to be consider'd both relatively and absolutely, that we may in order comprehend their full sense and impor­tance. The relation they bear to the Apostle's scope and de­sign, is that of a proof and confirmation of the grand Doctrine of the Gospel, which is, That no man is, nor can be justified by his own Works or Righteousness, the only way of being justified is by the Righteousness of God. The Apostle on very good ground supposes such an opposition and dis­junction between them two as admits no medium, for we cannot be justified without a Righteousness; and that Righteousness must be ei­ther our own or anothers, God's or Man's. It is the Negative branch of the Doctrine the Apostle doth earnestly contend for in this 4th. Chap. without any appearance of Carnality, but disputes with strenuous dint of Argument, and closely connected Topics with the terms of his pro­posed Doctrine, whereof this in the Text is one; either an immedi­ate Argument thus, He that worketh not, or is ungodly, cannot be justified by his own Works, but he who is justified by Grace is one that worketh not, or is ungodly, Erg. Or rather a Confirmation of an immediate Argument be­fore brought, thus, Maj. He that is justifi'd by Faith, is not justifi'd by Works. Min. But Abraham was justified by Faith. Erg. Abraham was not justified by Works.

The Assumption being confirm'd from Scriptures Testimony, Gen. 15. he proceeds to prove the grand Proposition thus, Maj. He to whom righteousness is imputed of Grace, cannot be justified by Works. Min. But to him that is justified by Faith, righteousness is imputed of Grace. Erg. He that is justified by Faith, cannot be justified by Works.

The assumption is frequently asserted in Scripture, v. 16. It is of Faith, that it might be by Grace. The grand Proposition he supposes evident from the opposition between Grace and Debt in v. 4. for when a person is dealt with on the account of Works, i. e. any thing [Page 4]in him, or done by him, it is debt, his due, I mean the reward; but when a Man is dealt with of Grace, the reward is proportion'd to the Favour and Good-will of the Donor or Judge; the Goodness of the Judge on the Bench, and the arraigned Person at the Bar, are very op­posite, therefore to be treated according to this opposite goodness, must be an opposite treatment.

This opposition or repugnancy in v. 5. he illustrates and confirms thus, Maj. Where the subjects, causes, effects, or manner of efficiency, are op­posite, there the things themselves are opposite. Min. But in Justification by Works and Faith, of grace, and of due, the subjects, causes, &c. are opposite. Erg. The Nature of the Justifications are opposite.

The grand Proposition is a Maxim in Logic, or Natural Light, ta­ken for granted. The assumption is illustrated and confirmed in these four Verses. 1. The Subjects, to wit, a godly and an ungodly Man, a righteous and an unrighteous, a Worker and a Non-worker. 2. The Causes, the grace, favour and good-will of the Governour, and the merit, labour, obedience and righteousness of the Subject. 3. The im­mediate effect of this Free-grace, or way of its efficiency, which differs from the Method of Justice, measuring its distribution by Law; for the former imputes a Righteousness, or as in Ch. 5. gives a Righte­ousness, viz. in a way of accompt and reckoning, that by virtue there­of, and its satisfaction to the Government, it may consist with govern­ing goodness to bless the blessedness of the man unto whom God imputes righ­teousness without works. The latter finds an inherent righteousness in the person, and therefore his Justification is only an Authoritative de­claration of what he is, a surrender of the Honour that is his due; and he proves this by David's Testimony, asserting the former Justificati­on to be a Pardon or Forgiveness: As if he had said, It's call'd a Ju­stification, because that Pardon is the effect of an Imputed Righteous­ness. Free-grace first gives by way of Account an Interest in Christ's Righteousness, and conveys the Right or Interest thorough Faith. Secondly, Pardons on the account of that Righteousness, which gives just ground for the denomination of Justification, and this Name is entertain'd as the proper Name for our Pardon in the Gospel, that it may be a constant Memorial of our Obligation to Christ for our Par­don, and of the difficulty that there was to render a Pardon consistent with the Law and Honour of the Law-maker and Governour. One chief end of this added Testimony of David's to the Example and Pattern of Abraham, is to prove that we are not justified by Works, from the Nature of Gospel-Justification, viz. David says it's a Par­don; tho' it's a Justification in respect to Christ's Righteousness, it's [Page 5]a Forgiveness with respect to our own Unrighteousness. This proves the Subject also of Gospel Justification to be ungodly, for we need and receive a Pardon, not as righteous or godly, but ungodly: And the reason why the Apostle gives the sense of David's words to be the Imputing of a Righteousness, is because it was inconsistent with a necessary just Law, and a just Governour and Judge, who cannot do violence to a righteous Law, to pardon or not to impute sin, until there be first a Righteousness imputed; and by showing this to be the sense of it, he thereby proves that our Justification is of Grace, because Free grace is the only cause of the Imputation of that Righ­teousness. It is not for Christ's sake that his righteousness is impu­ted, for that were to say, that the same thing was for the sake of it self, his Merit for his Merits-sake, and Righteousness for his Righte­ousness-sake: But as Christ is the Free-grace of God's Gift, so is his Righteousness, without any interveening Merits; and that has made me think, the influence of Christ's Merit, to use the accustom'd Phrase, terminates on the Law, or Legal constitution, not on the Divine Na­ture. God is the God, Author and Owner of all Grace, nothing has chang'd his mind into a more gracious temper, and hence the Impu­tation of righteousness is only ascrib'd to Grace, but Justification is ascrib'd to Grace, not immediately as imputation is, but at second hand: Justified by his Grace thorough the Redemption, Ch. 3.24. Hence something may be said for an Imputation of Righteousness from Eter­nity, tho' not for Justification from Eternity; and may be this is the reason why another Phrase is made use of for the transitory, tempo­rary Act, viz. Faith imputed to righteousness; for that denotes God's Act as Judge, in passing the absolving Sentence, i. e. thorough the Gift of Faith he conveys a right to that Righteousness, which from Eternity was assign'd in the Book of Life to all that shall ever enjoy its blessed Fruits. Thus much for the coherent and relative sense of the words, as they are subservient and useful to prove that we are not justified by Works.

I shall now consider them absolutely: And I must say this of them so considered, that they are as pure Gospel-Language-Expressions, as full of encouragement to Sinners, and comfort to Penitents, as any I know in Scripture. Indeed they are not alone, for the same Apostle says Histo­rically of himself, what he asserts elenctically here of Free-grace, 1 Tim. 1.15. viz. That he was a Blasphemer, a Persecutor, and injurious Person, when abundant grace, together with Faith and Love pre­vented him, i. e. justifying and sanctifying grace; the one in Faith and Love, the other in the abundant grace conveyed thorough them; [Page 6]and v. 16. he shows, this was no singular favour, for Christ made a pat­tern of him to them who should hereafter believe; as Artists hang out a piece of their Workmanship to bring in Customers, so Christ hangs up Paul for a sign, that all who hear the Gospel may count Christ (who came to save sinners) worthy of Acceptation, by all who are sinners. The Language of St. Paul's Conversion is the same with that of his Doctrine: Grace finds us sinners, and makes us righteous, and then blessed. Nei­ther is Paul the only Pattern; Levi is another, Mat. 2.14. Sitting at the receipt of Custom, serving a Tyrannical Government in its heavy Taxes; Christ calls him powerfully and effectually into the service and glory of his Kingdom, and makes an Offer to the rest of the Publi­cans and Sinners; That he came not to call the righteous, (who did repent) but sinners to repentance: His Office was to be a Physitian to the sick: And Zacheus a chief Commissioner is a third, who by false Methods had aggravated the Burthen of Tribute, and robb'd honest subjects, under the Notion of Caesar's due; yet Christ tells him, salvation is come to his house: For that was his constant Employ, To seek and to save that which was lost: But here we have it doctrinally, what is there historically, here universally asserted, what is there illustrated by Examples and Para­bles; here in strict Logical Terms, what is there under Rhetorical Flourishes, that when a man is ungodly and without works, then Faith is imputed for righteousness.

Note, I shall divide them in these two parts: 1st. As they set forth the condition of a sinner, antecedent to justification. 2ly. In what me­thod God brings them from that condition into blessedness through an Imputation of Righteousness, and imputation of Faith to Righteousness.

The First Part affords us this Doctrine.

When in our blood he bids us live, the day of our Enmity was the time of his Love, the Condition of our Adamical Nakedness was that he cast the skirt of his beautiful Garments over; when aliens, he en­ter'd into a Covenant of Grace with us, order'd for the salvation of sin­ners; when in our filthiness, he puts his Comeliness on us, Ezek. 16. The plain Gospel sence of these Prophetical Figures is, To him that work­eth not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness.

There are three Limitations put on this Text, by Inteepreters of differing Opinions, from what is the old and common road of them call'd Protestants, who usually distinguish the case thus, as Altingius consider'd [Page 7]in himself, he is ungodly and unrighteous, but considered in Christ he is righteous; or Dr. Tuckney, finds him unrighteous, but leaves him not so.

1. Some distinguish as to time thus, was ungodly, not is; they rec­kon some little time before for the exercise of Faith and Repentance, before he can be justifi'd. A Priority of Order between the Gift of Faith and Justification I willingly grant, but a priority of time is pregnant with Absurdities: The former doth not serve their turn, who make the Exercise of faith and repentance Conditions of justification; for it requires no time; as the Sun is in no time before its Beams, nor the Ring before the relation of Man and Wife: Relations result immediate­ly from their foundations, but the mind of Man, tho' it needs less time for the nimble succesion of its swift thoughts, yet time it doth require. (2.) Man must be regenerate, effectually call'd, before faith and re­pentance, for the tree must be good before the fruit: Now its repug­nant, to think one regenerate, a son of God, can be in a state of Condem­nation; and it's as inconsistent, to think that any are out of a state of Condemnation before a pardon. But to suppose any time between re­generation and forgiveness, for the exercise of faith and repentance, is to suppose a time when we are neither in a state of Condemnation or Justification. (3.) There is no condemnation to them that are in Christ: Now we are united to Christ by a double Cement, the Spirit working faith, and faith therefore where that Cement is there is no condemna­tion but pardon. (4.) The Scripture says, We were reconciled when ene­mies, Rom. 5.10. The difficulty here is, if this be meant the price for peace paid, or the application of it in justification, v. 9. shows the lat­ter; being now justifi'd by his blood, either we are justifi'd at Christ's death, which the party denies, or else we are enemies when justifi'd; and indeed reconciliation signifies a mutual peace, the hatred remov'd on on side by pardon, and on the other by regeneration; a new temper of Mind. It is true. Col. 1.21. it is said, Who sometime were ene­mies, but now are reconcil'd; yet that supposes the same time to conti­nue until the reconciliation, which Rom. 5.9. says was the time of Ju­stification. A (5th.) Argument is from the oneness of time, by Scripture Connexion between regeneration and justification, Col. 2.13. You hath he quicken'd, together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses, 2 Pet. 1.3. We are call'd to glory and vertue at once, and 1 Pet. 1.3. are begotten again unto an inheritance incorruptible, Tit. 3.5, 7. 2 Cor. 6. ult. A (6th.) Argument is from Rom. 6. Where the Apostles solution to the objection of Libertines, is, from the near connection between justifying and san­ctifying grace. (7.) I see nothing in the context to favour this distin­ction, but é contra would overturn the Arguments and Doctrine too.

A 2d. Limitation is, from distinction of Laws; they own he is an un­godly man, a Non worker, as to the righteousness of the Law, strictly so call'd, (which requires perfect, perpetual and personal obedience) who is the Object of Evangelical Justification. But they think there is a necessity of a righteousness to another, new, distinct Law; for as Le­gal Justification requires Legal Righteousness, Evangelical Justificati­on requires Evangelical Righteousness, i. e. Faith and Repentance, in sincerity and perseverance: And this last qualification comes in, least they should be under a necessity to hold a man pardon'd one time of his Life, and yet be afterward condemn'd thorough after back-sli­ding and falling from Grace. Some of them hold final falling away, and so an once justifi'd man may be eternally damn'd: Others total, but not final, and so may be in a state of Condemnation and Justification al­ternatively a hundred times: But a third, to prevent this Absurdity, adds perseverance, by which a man is excluded from justification until his last breath, which excludes the Doctrine of Assurance during life, and pardon too, which is a strangely new Doctrine; yet I have heard some more cautious persons say, they think there are some degrees of Grace, at the attainment of which they escape that danger; may be that is it they allot for the time of justification. This Limitation seems unaccep­table to me on these grounds,

1. This Law countenances iniquity, indulges transgressions; for since the first Law is holy, just and good, what Law requires less, is so far unholy, unjust, bad; and shall we suppose an holy God, that is of pu­rer eyes than to connive at iniquity, to establish iniquity by a Law? was our corrupt natures, or imperfectly renew'd to his image, the Ori­ginal to this Law? as his own Nature gave birth to the first, it seems reasonable to say that God accepts imperfect obedience on his account who perform'd perfect obedience in our stead as surety; but that the office of the Mediator should be to obtain of God to lay by that glorious manifestation of his Holiness, and change that perfect Law into a Council and Directory, and to yield so far to us, as to take a penny of the pound of obedience from broken debtors, seems to me pregnant of difficulties and absurdities. We deny our Obedience comes to be accepted as the obedi­ence the Law requires, or under the Notion Adam's righteousness was accepted, viz. that which gave right to Indemnity and Life, but is accep­ted as the way to the Kingdom, and preparation for the possession of a place in these mansions, where all the inhabitants are holy: It is the righteousness of our Lord Jesus Christ alone, by which that Law is ful­fill'd; he is the end of the Law for righteousness, and his righteous­ness gives right to remission and blessedness.

2ly. I am inform'd, this Notion of the Evangelical Law was the prin­cipal error of the Antinomians; for they said, since Faith and Repen­tance was all that was necessary to salvation, what was the need of any other Law? Alas, it is a sad mistake; for the Moral Law is the rule of true Repentance: Let him that stole, steal no more; that hath broke the first, second, or third Command, &c. ought to do so no more; that is true Repentance, New Obedience: The Law that did forbid stealing once, forbids stealing always, else it were not perfect. Indeed the Gospel has such an influence on this Law, and our obedience to it, that it is a new Law to what it was; but that ever God should lay that by, and make another, or make any that requires not perfection, is to me unconceivable: If any duty belongs to this New Law, it's patience, and God commands that it be perfect; Let patience have its perfect work: Or, for the same God to have two Laws, so contrary, that we may condemn'd by one, and justifi'd by another.

3ly. As it introduces Antinomianism, so a christianiz'd Pharisaism, which was the error the Apostle is refuting: He is not disputing a­gainst Pagans, who denied the Messias, or own'd many Daemons, 1 Cor. 8.6. To us there is but one God the Father, of whom are all things, and one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom are all things: Nor against the Jews, who de­ny'd he was come in the flesh; for he tells them, their Faith was fa­mous thorough the World, Rom. 1.8. But against some that believ'd, and pleaded the necessity of Circumcision, Rom. 3.28. That pleaded, We were justified by Faith and Works; for the Thesis, shows the Antago­nists Opinion, which is, we are justifi'd by faith, without the deeds of the Law, and Rom. 9.23. They sought after a righteousness, as if it were by the works of the Law, i. e. by the works of the Law in some sense and measure; this may be more evident by considering the Jews Doctrine about the way of Salvation, and add to it the belief of a Messias come, and we may find the opinions too much alike: They reckon'd that there were three ranks of Men, with respect to Heaven; the lowest were sin­ners; of Publicans and Sinners we read frequently; the highest were perfect men, and that they thought hardly attainable it seems, Mat. 19.21. That was the young mans doubt he brought to Christ; If thou wouldst be perfect, sell all thou hast, and follow me; in me the Laws perfecti­on is to be obtain'd, thou must entirely be deny'd to all things else; the middle sort was called Beninim, Middle-way-men, Men of sincerity, that should go to eternal Life, either by a praeponderation of good, or repentance of evil: ‘Hence, say they, the Life of man in the Precepts is according to his intention, who performs one of the least Precepts, for love of the Precept, shall merit everlasting life, Cant. 5.2. Open to me, [Page 10]my Sister, my Love; i. e. Open to me one crevice of Repentance, and I will open to thee the wide gates of Glory, Zach. 9.1. The Land of Hadrach, i. e. Emanuel's Land, who leads men to God by [...] the way of repentance. The gates of Prayer are shut sometimes, but never the gate of Repentance: If Israel would repent one day, the world would be redeem'd, and the Messias would come.’ But they did not think these Boninim went straight to Heaven; No, Abraham, and all the Prophets went to Hell in their Opinion; though the best went thorough the fire like a Salamander, it's only the Messias can deliver from that. Herein then seems their Error to consist, that the Messias suppli'd the want of perfection, so no need of going to Hell for sincere ones; this the Apostle, Gal. 1. calls a perverting of the Gospel, a composing of another method of Salvation, a counterfeit Gospel, a corrupting of the pure method of Grace with mixture and allay of works.

4ly. It supposes two Justifications, Baxter against Cartwright, p. 11. ‘It is one thing to be accus'd of treason, and another thing to be accus'd of Non-performance of the condition on which remission for treason is promis'd; an absolution from the first makes the one justifi­cation and absolution, from the latter the Gospel Justification.’ Resp. By this Doctrine the neglect of Faith and Repentance is not Treason. 2. That the justification by Christs righteousness is not com­pleat. 3. That we must be justifi'd, before we can have an interest in Christ's Righteousness, and so we have Faith and Repentance without an interest in Christ, for antecedent to an interest in him; and we can­not be evangelically justifi'd until our Faith and Repentance be sincere, and persevere, so no interest in him till death. The Scholastick Pit­ [...]arne, Provost of the Old Colledge of St. Andrews, weeps over this Opi­nion, and its Reverend Author, thus, p. 285. ‘O Reverend Baxter, for what end, or to what good hast thou wrote so many Volumes, for thy conditional justification by Faith and Obedience? to how ma­ny contentions hast thou given occasion? how many precious hours hast thou lost to thy self and thy Reverend Brethren? into an Abyss of how many Anti-Gospel Errors are they now sunk, who glory in thee as their Guide and Patron? who after they have once left the way of Truth, scarce know where to stop, and yet thou still tellest the world, all thy disputes are about the wool of a dog, for thou diffe­rest only in words and names from thy Brethren.’

5ly. The Context and Scope is the best rule of interpreting this text, whether righteous by one Law, and unrighteous by another, or not; for Chapter 3. tells us, he is a Non-worker as to all works, that any Ora­cles of the Old Testament did discover to be duty; for v. 2. this was [Page 11]the Jews advantage, that unto them were committed the Oracles of God, about which these two things are certain, that these Oracles were the Old Testament, and that the Old Testament contain'd the same way of justification the New doth; v. 19. He adds, whatever the Law says, it says to them that are under the Law: v. 10. These Oracles say, There is none righteous, No, not one: v. 19. All the World is guilty, before God every mouth stopp'd: The Argument runs thus, The Old Testa­ment contain'd all Laws, wherein a sinners justification was concern'd; but as to all these Laws, all men were found Non-workers, and ungod­ly, therefore there is no place for distinction of Laws and Righteous­ness in this place, that inheres in us. 2ly. Abraham's Condition, antece­dent to his effectual call, instructs us, that the distinction of Righteous­ness to be admitted in this place, is that of our own and anothers, made ours by imputation; not of our own, with respect to different Laws; for Josh. 24. Abraham was an idolater, inconsistent with faith and re­pentance, or Gospel-righteousness, and yet Isa. 41. He is call'd a righ­teous man, and the friend of God; this must be thorough Christs righte­ousness imputed, not his own: Who call'd the righteous man from the east, he was righteous in Chaldea. 3ly. Rom. 5.9, 10. When we were enemies, we were reconcil'd to God by the death of his Son: The Argument is thus, If we are reconcil'd when enemies, we are justifi'd when guilty, I mean actively and antecedently; but the Apostle affirms the former: The Connexion is evident, for they are but different Metaphors of the same case, the one representing it as the happy conclusion of a fair Tryal at Law, the other as a Quarrel more friendly and privately compos'd; the one represents it as a publick crime pardon'd, on a satisfaction and me­diation, the other as a misunderstanding, made up by an arbitration; the one expresses the remission of the guilt, but the other the removal of enmity, to a cordial renew'd Peace and Love on both sides. Reconcili­ation comprehends Justification and Sanctification too; Two cannot walk together, except they be agreed. This is further confirm'd from v. 9. where by Reconciliation is understood and express'd Justification, the former is describ'd by the latter, and this justification, v. 1. said to be that which is by faith. Dr. Hammond to shun the dint of this Argument, grants in this place a justification on Christ's Death, but v. 8, and 9. the one is distinguish'd from the other by [...] and [...], yet and now, i. e. Then he dy'd for us, now we are justifi'd. 4ly. We may take one step further into the Context, Rom. 6.1, 2, 6, 7. where the Apostle proposes an apparent Objection, but impertinent, if that were the case, no justification until sincerity, and perseverance in faith and repentance: Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? and [Page 12]if their Mind and the Apostle's had been one, he had answer'd like them, tho' Legal Obedience is not necessary to make us vessels of Grace, Gospel Righteousness is; but his Solution is founded on the necessary connexion between justifying and sanctifying grace, being given at once both to­gether: How shall we that are dead to sin live any longer therein, v. 2. This supposes a mortal stroke given to the body of sin in the ungodly man when justified, v. 7. He that is dead is justifi'd from sin; so is the word in the Original; and Gal. 5. They that are in Christ Jesus, have crucifi'd the flesh with its affections and lusts. Thus Dr. Tuckney, God's justifying act finds us ungodly, but doth not leave us so; he justifies the ungodly, but the ungodly are not justified; and this obviates an Argument that is brought out of the text to confirm this Opinion; for, say they, how can he be ungodly that has faith? its true, he cannot, but Faith may be given to him that is so.

The 3d. Objection is this, he may be a Non-worker as to true graci­ous works, the effects of a regenerate state, but not a Non-worker as to preparatory works, that may make us meet and fit for it: Or, accord­ing to the old terms, without meriting works, but not congruous works. It is necessary to give some Characters of these, before any thing be said against them, or rather against their necessary anteceden­cy to justification; for I doubt not, pardoning grace finds many so in­dued. The Original of these works is suppos'd to be man's natural con­science, excited by some common influence of the Spirit, and may be a­waken'd by some extrordinary or afflicting providence, or some convin­cing truth. 2. The Properties of the Works are three, (1.) Good for matter and end. (2.) Done freely. (3.) When we are in the way for convictions, or sorrow in Hell, are not preparatory works. 3. The degrees they differ in from gracious or meriting works are two, (1.) The person is not in a state of Grace. (2.) God has made no promise that he will pardon or justifie such; thus Bp. Abelly, edit 11. Medulla Theol.

I answer, 1. These Characters make these Works more a counterfeit of Grace than preparation for Grace, they describe a Pharisee or Hypo­crite, that is further from the kingdom of Heaven than a Publican or Harlot; for, Christ tells them, the harlots went into the kingdom of Hea­ven before them; the Publican went home rather justified than the Pha­risee, with his formal thanks to God for his distinguishing Godness: Most of such deceive themselves with that vain shew of Godliness, having a form of Godliness, but denying the power thereof; when they are poor, miserable, wretched and naked, they think they need nothing, with the lukewarm Church of Laodicea: These are the foolish Virgins that have no Oil in their Lamps.

2ly. The foundations this Opinion are grounded on, are not very sure: As, 1. They say John Baptist's Ministry was to prepare the way to Christ, by the doctrine of Repentance. Respon. The Baptists Mini­stry is to be consider'd either in general, with all Ministers, to prepare and make meet for the inheritance, Luke 17.6. To prepare his ways, to give knowledge of Salvation unto his people, by the remission of their sins, tho­rough the tender mercies of our God: His Work was to fit for Heaven, not to make Hypocrites, though he did make many. 2. His Mini­stry was to be consider'd, in relation to that peculiar dispensation which was to raise and awaken peoples minds, in expectation of the Messias, and fulfilment of the great promises about the incarnation of the Son of God, his Birth, Life, Death, Resurrection and Constitu­tion of his Church, which was peculiar to himself.

A Second Foundation of these preparatory Works is Christ's Ex­pressions, preferring one People to another as such, with whom the means that others enjoy'd in vain, would have prevail'd for their true Repentance, Matth. 11. to this purpose Christ prefers the Tyrians and Sidonians to the People of Chorazin and Bethsaida. For Answer, I shall give Camero's Sense of these Expressions, who counts it a popular Hy­perbole to upbraid the Unbelief of these People, who had seen so ma­ny of his Miracles; as if one should say, he is as bad or worse than the Devil, and these things seem to confirm this sense. 1. It would seem to reflect on the Bowels and Mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ, that he would not walk two or three Miles to work a Miracle, among a People who wanted nothing else to secure their Salvation, and yet continue to Preach and work Miracles, where he knew the event would be only the Aggravation of their Sin and Punishment. 2. To attri­bute the Conversion of a People to any external means, and not the efficacy and energy of the Holy Ghost, is contrary to the sense of the Holy Ghost, for Paul may plant, and Apollo may water, but God gives the encrease; and yet these words taken litterally would imply this, if in Tyre and Sidon the Miracles had been done, which have been done in thee, they would have repented long ago. 3. The Letter of this Scripture would arrogate the power of Conversion to Miracles, which certainly is not the Sense of the Scripture, for Abram in the 16th. of Luke is brought in, saying in that Conference with the rich man, that if they heard not Moses and the Prophets, they would not believe one that rose from the dead. 4. Such Hyperbolical Language Christ frequently us'd, as Matth. 18.8, 9. If thy Hand or thy Foot offend thee, cut it off; if any man smite thee on the right Cheek, turn to him the other; when thou dost Alms, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doth: [Page 14]And of this kind seems Moses his Wish to be, who pray'd that God would rather blot him out of the Book of Life, than destroy that Peo­ple: The import of it, was only to express the earnestness of his desire.

A Third Foundation is Christ's commendation of the young Man, Matth. 19.15. Mark 10.21. Luke 18.18. where 'tis said, Jesus lov'd him, and that he lack'd but one thing of the Kingdom of Heaven. Resp. (1.) The same Scripture gives no account of his coming there, but rather of the impossibility of it, and that 'twas easier for a Camel to go through the Eye of a Needle, than for such a Man to enter into the Kingdom of Heaven; and farther, that 'twas a thing only possi­ble to God: And in more plain terms, he describes him to be one who trusted in his riches, and what can more unfit Man for Heaven? God and Mammon are at greatest distance. As to that Expression of his loving him, I think it may be best explain'd by that distinction that is us'd about Christ's Tears, when he wept over a dead Lazarus, or sympathiz'd with his Sisters, that they were expressions of his Huma­nity; and that tho' he had not the like Passions, yet the like Affecti­ons with us, and could love what's useful and in its kind beautiful a­mongst men, and such are all these Moral Virtues, that renders a Man amiable and useful in the Society where he lives.

A Fourth Foundation is, that an Appetite and desire is antecedent unto enjoying Christ or his Benefits, Isa. 55.1. Ho every one that thirst­eth, come ye to the Waters. Resp. That is every one; there is a great difference between a desire, and the determination of it, Psal. 4. ma­ny say, i. e. all, or all unconverted, Who will shew us any good? but, Lord, lift thou up on me the light of thy countenance: It is the termination of their desires on Christ, on stable, lasting, heavenly, spiritual good things the Prophet exhorts to, he blames them for terminating their desires on what did not profit. A (3.) Argument against preparato­ry Works seems to be their inconsistence with the Nature of Conver­sion; for Creation, Regeneration, Resurrection and Victory, have no antecedent predispositions; all the preparation in order to be con­quer'd and overcome, is to oppose with the greater force to prevent it; the others imply a Divine Omnipotency, working upon nothing, or what's unfit for the produc'd effect. (4.) It being granted that there's no necessary Connection between preparatory Works and Par­don, I see no reason why some may not be pardon'd without it, as well as some have it, and not pardoned. (5.) The design of the Go­spel being to exalt pardoning Grace, Ver. 15, 16. It's of Faith, that it might be of Grace: The less the Preparation appear, the more Grace is exalted and manifested.

Obj. Should then a Man do nothing until he be justified? Resp. 1. Ma­ny are justified who know it not. 2. Our Priviledges are not the Rule of our Duty, but God's Command. 3. That is, without doubt, we should do all we can, few if any do what they may, be always trying whether God gives ability or not. 4. To all under the means of Grace, at least God gives common Grace, and by that they may live a sober, just and honest Life among men, and they may and ought to attend on Ordinances, Phil. 2.12. Work in and about your own Salvati­on, as Camero excellently translates it, wait there until God works effectually, he doth it of his own good pleasure, where and when he will. Let fear and trembling therefore accompany thy attendance, lest thou miss the gale of that Wind that blows where it listeth: Here is no room for Idleness to a Non converted and unpardoned Soul: Faith comes by hearing, be thou a diligent hearer. 5. God gives Life thorough the Command of the Law, he speaks a Pardon thorough the Precept; it's that makes the Law evangelical, when he commands the dead to arise; Lazarus, come forth; Lame Cripple, rise and walk; Bed rid man, carry home thy bed, thy sins are forgiven thee.

Having removed these Limitations, with the grounds of them, I shall establish the Doctrine more positively: And, (1.) By Testimony: Scla­ter on this Verse reconciles it with Prov. 17.15. where it's said, He that justifieth the wicked, and he that condemneth the just, even they both are abomination to the Lord: It were an abomination to justifie a wicked Man, without a satisfaction, but not where a satisfaction to the Go­vernment is given, which is the Case of the ungodly Man in the Text. Who's justified thro' the righteousness of Christ, and this he quotes out of Pareus on the place: Wilson, another English Commentator, with great plainness gives it thus, At their justification he findeth them ungodly, and maketh them godly, and he doth it both by taking away the guilt and filth of their sin. The Righteousness of Christ is reckoned the Righteousness of that Person who doth by Faith embrace him. Pitcairn says, Ungod­ly here is taken in the same sense as when God raiseth the dead, and calls that which is not, to be, it being the term of alienation from which they are remov'd, from whence he bids farewell to all antecedent Cau­ses, which some call inferiour, others in some manner or measure, others administrating, others sine quo non, others Causes of possession tho' not of right, for all Holiness comes in as a way to the Kingdom, not as Causes of Rule. Diest thus, Justifying Grace finds him so in himself, but leaves him not so; For whom he justifies, them he sanctifies. God Justifies us not as Holy in our selves, but as wanting righteous­ness he imputes a righteousness to us. The Anger of Abraham, Gen. [Page 16]15. for want of Children, wanted a Pardon, even then before this de­claration about him, that his Faith was imputed to him for righteousness. Theodore Szuingerus, whom Hottinger commends, and notwithout reason, as the best Commentator on this Epistle, compares the Text with 1 Kings 8.2. condemning the wicked to bring his way on his Head, and justifying the righteous to give him according to his righteous­ness, and solves the difficulty these two ways, 1. That the one is a Justification of a man's Cause, and the other a Justification of his Person, which is that in the Text. 2. This Justification of the Un­godly is not against a Law, but according to a Law; not without a righteousness, but without his own only: Besides, says he, Tho' it finds him ungodly, it leaves him not in his ungodliness. Bucer thus, If God should not justifie the Wicked, none should be justified, for the Lord find us all wicked before we are justified. Greneus, Tho' Man may not justifie the ungodly, God may, who has Power to for­give above Law. Pareus, Tho' they are justified who are wicked in themselves, yet not without Cause, and against Rule, since there is a satisfaction in Christ. Marlorat's Ecclesiastick Exposition is thus, The first Blessing of Salvation is Pardon, and our Pardon being a Justifica­tion, it must be a justification of the Ungodly: What can they say to this, that are Slaves to their Belly, and yet brag of their Works? are they better than Abraham, who left his Countrey, redeem'd his Brother, and offered his Son, and Hop'd in his God against all Hope? but God in justifying leaves us not ungodly: Such therefore ought rather to fear they are not justify'd, because they want the fruits of Justification, than brag they have the Causes of it in themselves. Cal­vin thus, It's observable, the Discourse is not about the way of living, but about the Causes of Salvation: He argues from contraries, and as Bucer says, not from words but sentences. This Sentence is full of Energy, Believeth on him that justifies the ungodly; wherein both the Na­ture of Faith and Righteousness are contain'd. In short, no body can come to the Righteousness of Faith, but who is in himself Ungodly, for Faith adorns us with anothers Righteousness, which it beggs of God; hence God is said to justifie, when he freely forgives, and vouch­safes to love them with whom he may be justly angry, Ver. 6. with­out Works they meerly cavil, who think all Works are not excluded, for he says not Works of the Law, but simply and without restricti­on, Works of all kinds.

Beda venerabilis, Anno 700. says on this Text, What can he be but ungodly, until he be justified by Grace? for what Grace gives, it gives freely.—I dare not determine which of the two is the greater work, [Page 17]to make a just man, or to justifie an ungodly man, both require equal power, but the latter greater grace or mercy: Boast not of thy works be­fore faith, for faith found thee a sinner: — Man works not righteous­ness until he be justified, and that begins with Faith.

Tho. Aquinas, 1260. on this Text, To believe is the first act of Righteousness which God works in us; by this man doth not merit righteousness, but subject himself to God's justification, and so thereby receives its effect: This (says he) the Apostle proves, (1.) From David's sense, v. 6. He is a blessed man to whom God gives a righteous­ness without forgoing works. (2.) From David's words, proving he had no righteousness, for he needed for Orignal, Actual and Venial sin, for the guilt of the Offence, Fact and Penalty of sin.

Ambranat, a late Papist, 1665. Paris. The Apostle before acted an Orator by interrogations and frequent Questions, but now a Philoso­pher, with clouds of Arguments; before he oppos'd Gift and Works, now he opposes a Believer and Worker, a believer in him that endues the ungodly with his own righteousness; Patiatur ergo si non operatur, when he is not a doer, he is made a receiver, [...].

Erasmus says, ‘Ungodly here comprehends all kind of Unrighteous­ness, there is no kind that is excepted.’ But there is no end of humane testimonies, for within my Cognizance I can reckon an hundred Inter­preters of this Epistle. I shall add two more of greatest Authority in England: 1. The Westminster Assembly, I shall not quote the Annotations bearing their Name, but as I am inform'd on far less ground than An­thony Burgess his book of Justification, which was examin'd and ap­prov'd by them; one of his Titles is, That gracious works are not so much as the condition or cause, sine qua non, of justification, and on this Text, p. 288. God doth account him as righteous, though a sinner in himself: p. 290. While looking into our selves, we see nothing but matter of death and condemnation; and he has another Sermon, to prove that the Act of Faith is not imputed to justification, which the Assemblies Cata­chism expresly mentions. A Second Authority is the Articles and Homi­lies of the Church of England: But Dr. Wallis has done that in a Sermon ex preposito. I shall conclude with these two noted Fathers, Ambrose and Augustine, the former defines a worker to be not a transgressor of the Law, and a Non-worker a Transgressor; the latter in his Propo­sitions on this Epistle, Tom. 4. p. 1193. Qui justificat 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; [Page 18] 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, its 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, 'twas 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 [Page 19]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, its 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 [Page 20]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 be willing Jan. Aug. To. 3. lib. 2. c. 9.. 3. It would be Grace restoring to Adams condition, to be able to do good or evil: 4. This distinction of sufficient and efficacious grace, Jansenus says, Augustine nor none of the Latin Fathers knew, nor any general Council ever did determine To. 3. lib. 2. c 29.. About 5 for grace to have its efficacy from the corrupt will of Man, is enmity, to be the Author of Love from sufficient grace, it is not; that brings not forth the effect, there is nothing else in the will of Man: If it be another addition of grace, the former was not sufficient; and indeed where its not able to conquer the will of man, and bring forth its effect, to make man willing, it is not. But this were to leave the Question about justi­fying grace, and to dispute about sanctifying grace.

A 4th. Argument, is from the nature and the kind of justifying acts: As to its Original, it's gracious, as to its Obiect, it's pardon, put these two together, a gracious pardon, and it supposes the Object under great guilt and misery: For, (1.) Grace is goodness in all its variety and ful­ness; when the Lord proclaims his own graciousness, Exod. 34.6. He describes it by abundance of Goodness and Truth, tenderness of mercy, and longness of suffering, and this as the spring of pardoning grace; Keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity, and transgression, and sin. Where the person is just by a constituted Law, there is no need of such amplifications of Goodness; for if it be an easie Law, the grace was in ma­king law, and not in justifying by the Law. (2.) Grace is goodness flowing from the Heart of the Giver; its called gratia gratum faciens, be­cause it renders the person acceptable and lovely in the sight of God; hence it bears the name of Love, thorough the Book of Canticles, Chap. 8.6. Set me as a seal on thy heart, as a seal upon thine arm: So is every object of Free-grace, his Love is fixed on them, and hence the arm of his Power protects them: But this Love of Grace is incomparable, its stronger than Death, for at once it delivers from a legal and spiritual Death, the guilt and the power of sin, and him that hath the power of [Page 21]Death, that is the Devil; as cruel as the Grave, that devours all before it; The Coals thereof are coals of fire, no waters can quench it, nor floods drown it: And as its full, so its free; If a man would give all the substance of his house for love, it would be utterly contemn'd. A (3.) Ingredient of grace, is mercy, pardoning grace and mercy are but different names of the same thing, and suppose the Object in a miserable condition, Rom. 11.32. God hath concluded them all in unbelief, that he might have mercy on all: And this mercy is preventing mercy, for the Apostle speaking to the very same purpose, Rom. 10.20. says, I was found of them that sought me not, I was made manifest in them that askt not for me: And yet farther, Rom. 9.11. He shews, that all the causes, conditions and motives of Mercy, are to be sought for in the disposition of the Author, and not the disposition of the subject: That the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of Works, but of him that calleth. But the Name grace seems to import somewhat higher than all this, it speaks exclusiveness of conditions, Rom. 3.24. Being justified freely by his grace; that is, saith the Neat Witsius, without any cause or condition. (2.) It speaks ful­ness, John 1.16. Of his fulness we have received grace for grace: Colos. 2.10. In him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily, and ye are compleat in him: And it speaks perseverance, for the Covenant of Grace con­tains the sure mercies of David, Psalm 89.33. Though I visit their iniqui­ties with stripes, nevertheless my loving-kindness will I not utterly take from them. It speaks the Object in a most wretched condition, Isa. 57.1, 7. I won't contend for ever, neither will I be always wroth; though my an­ger hath an end, my mercy hasn't; for the spirit would fail before me, and the souls which I have made; as they cannot convert themselves, so they can't bear my endless wrath: For the iniquity of his Covetuousness was I wroth, and smote him, I hid me, and was worth, and he went on fro­wardly in the way of his heart: A most desperate Condition; the easiest law in the world could speak no comfort to him, but grace can: I have seen his ways, and will heal him; I will lead him, and restore comforts to him: Tho' there be no matter in the subject to bring Comfort out of, my grace hath a creative power; I create the fruit of the lips, peace to him that is far off, &c. (Lastly,) Soveraignity is an ingredient in grace: We read of grace upon the Throne, a Throne of Grace, all pure grace: Where the Transactions and Dipensations are according to Law, there is no place for over-ruling Soveraignity, but this justification is a dispensati­on from a Throne of Grace, and the very end of it is to glorifie that grace, verses 16, 17. It is of faith, that it might be by grace: All Laws, and transgressions of Laws, all Dispensations of Providence, and Per­missions, all Manifestations of other Attributes, are for the discovery of [Page 22]the height of this Throne: All is for the praise of the glory of his Grace: And the whole of this grace receives a lustre in its first preventive act towards a sinner; for as he is God of all Grace, he calls us into his eter­nal glory. If all the other streams of grace finds us in our sin and guilt, elective grace, redeeming grace, calling and converting grace, why should it be supposed or conjectured, that pardoning grace doth not find us so to? when the very formality of the object is sinfulness: The Text tells us, tis a covering of sin, a not imputing of sin, a forgiving of Iniquity, a blotting out our transgressions, a removing of them from us as far as the East is from the West; an act that renders God a Peerless God, and therefore supposes our condition worst; Who is a God like unto thee? Micah 7.18. that pardoneth iniquity, and passeth by the transgression of the remnant rf his Heritage, he retaineth not his anger for ever, because he delighteth in mercy; he will turn again, he will have compassion upon us, he will subdue our iniquities, and cast all their sins in­to the depth of the Sea.

The only Use that I shall make of this is to linners, who are in their Ungodliness, and without Works, and whose Consciences tells them so; the doctrine speaks this to you, that you have as great reason, and as great encouragement to come to this throne of Grace, and to sue out for a pardon in the Name of Christ, as any others. There was an universal command to the Apostles, to preach the Gospel to every creature, Mark 16.15. And that commission stands a Directory to every one, that is a Servant of Christ in the Office of the Gospel; and as Christ invites, so the Church of Christ invites also; the Language of a sanctified Soul over a Brother or Sister, according to the flesh, is like that of the Spouse, We have a little Sister, and she hath no breasts, what shall we do for our Si­ster in the day she shall be spoken for? The Bride saith come, and the Spirit saith come, Rev. 22.17. And their joint voice is, Whosoever will, let him come. Beware of being guilty of quenching or provoking the Spirit; may be your Consciences bear witness, that there is a higher Messenger sent to offer you a pardon this day than the voice of any clay Trum­pet; but, whether you find any such quickner and enabler, rendring you willing and desirous to say, Whether shall we go? for thou hast the words of eternal life; in thee have we righteousness and strength, by thee only will we make mention of thy Name: Thy face Lord we will seek; Cast the skirts of thy Garments over us: I say, whether you feel this influence or not, it is this external offer, that both gives you right to come to a pardon­ing God, for forgiveness of sins, thorough the righteousness of Christ only, and makes it your duty, however torn the Garments of your own Righteousness are; or your consciences thereby, to depend upon [Page 23]our Lord Jesus Christ and his Righteousness, by which the Law gains its end, and the Government full satisfaction, and in this trust and de­pendance to come to the Throne of Grace, and sue in his name for the forgiveness of your sin, and justification of your persons: I say, the offer gives you a right. In other transactions with men, there are these three ways of conveyance of a right, (1.) The Offer of his Estate, or Goods, or Priviledge. (2.) The price that I pay him for it. (3.) The Writings that contain its Extent and Title. (4.) The Ceremo­nies of seizing, or taking possession; all these go to compleat the right, but if we had to do with an Unchangeable Person, full of goodness and kind designs towards us, he would never go back from his first Offer, that would bring him on to compleat the Title in all the rest. Now here you have the offer of a Pardon, and the offer of a Sonship, and In­heritance with it; the God that cannot lye nor change has made it: Here you have the tenour and extent of the blessing in the Covenant of Grace, the Spirit of God has penn'd it, and you may see the blessing is great, and the tenour so ordered, that it may reach you sinners: He tells you, the price is paid already, it is 1600 years since 'twas laid down; the invitation is, All things are ready, come unto the feast: The Question is only, Whether the World or this is worth your Choice? Is not a Pardon desirable? Have we no longings to come out of this prison, where there's no water? will we adventure the paying the ut­most farthing our selves, rather than to be obliged to Christ for a full payment? but this offer comprehends a Command in its bosome; if our Unworthiness renders us asham'd, and our Guiltiness afraid, and makes us apt to say, Depart from me, for I am a sinful man; Let consci­ence of duty oblige us to draw nigh, for this is his Commandment, that we should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ: And none of us can say, but this command reaches us, else unbelief would not be the condemnation of the World. Christ was griev'd for the hardness of their hearts that be­liev'd not, and wept over an obstinate jerusalem, saying, Oh if thou hadst known at least in this thy day the things which belong unto thy peace! Now which of these two doth your Hearts conclude will be the issue of this offer, either They would not come to me that they might have life; or, Thine they are, and thou gavest them me, and they have kept thy Word: I have given to them the words which thou gavest me, and they have received them; Holy Father, keep thro' thine own Name those whom thou hast given me. The grand Offence that we stumble at commonly, if our Consciences answer one another, is the particular circumstances and aggravati­ons of our particular sins: And yet 'tis a very unreasonable Objecti­on, it savours rather of the darkness of Hell than the light of Hea­ven [Page 24]above, or Faith below. Should we delay the looking after a Par­don, because we are very guilty? should sinners not accept of the Son of God, Jesus Christ, because God sent him to bless us, in turn­ing us from our Iniquities? did we ever read of any that Christ threw off as incurable, because his Satisfaction or the Tenour of the Gospel could not reach them? is our Condition worse than Manasse's or Saul's? has our delay been longer than the Thief on the Cross, or our filthi­ness viler than Mary Magdalen's? There are these four Conditions that Christ has specified in his Gospel to prevent Exceptions. (1.) Prophane Persons, Mat. 21.32. The Publicans and the Har­lots believ'd in him. (2.) Secure Persons, like lukewarm Laodicea, that was insensible of her own misery, yet he stands knocking at their door, and offering, that if any of them, the worst of them, would open, he would come into them, and sup with them: His fullness should have a feast of Glory and Honour, and their emptiness should sup on his fullness. (3.) The Hypocrites: Of all Conditions that seems to be the most dangerous; such were the Scribes and Pharisees, Mat. 23. Hypocrites; yet how often would Christ have gathered these under the Wings of his Righteousness, Ver. 37. Yet these Invitations were not altogether fruitless. Saul was a Pharisee, Nichodemus was a Pharisee: The Balm of Gilead is a Medicine can cure this desperate distemper, and the Blood of Christ can cover the guilt of it. Another gauling circumstance to a tender, or a wounded conscience, is backsli­ding, falling away from first Love, and walking unsuitably to preg­nant, preventive mercies; but in Isaiah 1. Jer. 3. How many invi­tations to a backsliding-Church, backslidden from the greatest Priviledg­es ever Church received in the World, backslidden into the vilest abomi­nations that ever people were guilty of, Idolatry, worshipping a Stock or Stone for their God, and yet with what earnest intreaties, and what per­swasive arguments does he plead with them: How shall I give thee up E­phraim, I remember thee still! the love of thy espousal was pleasant to me: O Israel! I am married to thee, why should there be a divorce? Come, and let us reason together, though thy Iniquities were as crimson, and thy transgressions as scarlet, I will heal thy backslidings, I will love thee freely, and receive thee gra­ciously. To expect to come any other way, or upon our delay to come on better terms, were to pervert the very Nature of the Gospel, and say, we would not be saved in 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 [Page 25]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 'tis 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.

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. Whose 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 [Page 27]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, its 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 its 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 [Page 28]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 its 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, Ʋnto 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. Its 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.) Its a righteousness now manifested; faith and repentance has shin'd in the pra­ctice [Page 29]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.) Its 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 Jesus Christ our Lord: And that its made ours, 1. By a gracious gift; abundance of grace, and of the gift of righteousness: 2. It still remain'd inherent in him alone, for justification of life came upon all men, by the righteousness of one: If it were ours, there must be as many righteousneses as justifications; but here, by the obedience of one many are made righteous. 3. Its convey'd thorough a Law: The word made imports a legal constitution, and the first Adam's case shews it; until the Law sin was in the world; sin is not imputed when there is no law; wherever imputation is there is a Law; the Hostage [Page 30]cannot suffer for his King or Country but by some Law; Christ was made sin for us only by Law, and we the righteousness of God in him by law. The Debtor is reliev'd thorough the Sureties discharge by a Law, and this Law is the Law of Faith, that we ought daily to study; the Law was, If thou as sponsor wilt dye for them, they shall live; if thou wilt go under the curse of their Law, take their Law-place, for thy sake they shall have the place of Sons. Its much harder to me to comprehend how Adam's first offence should be imputed to us for death, then Christs righteousness for life; and it seems worthy observation, that the one imputation is never very clearly reveal'd, until the other be set over a­gainst it. The Apostle thereby tells us we are no losers, but gainers by it; an imputed righteousness may well free from an imputed guilt, and commends that righteousness imputed, for it frees from more than that, viz. from all guilt. This 5th. C. gives account of the Original of im­putation, how it comes that one should be justified by anothers righte­ousness, or condem'd by anothers sin. Solomon, Eccles. 7.24. among his many learned Enquiries in his latter days, enquires after the origi­nal of sin, how a righteous man should become a sinner: One thing have I found, that God made man upright, but we have found out many inventions. The Apostles enquiry is of a greater depth, how one mans guilt or righ­teousness should be convey'd to another? Adam's sin or Christ's righte­ousness. (6.) Its a righteousness made ours, as he was sin, 2 Cor. 5.21. Isa. 53. which did never inhere in him. (7.) From the very Title of imputed, but that will be made clear in the 2d. general head, to which I now come, and whether I refer a considerable Question belong­ing to this, viz. What righteousness of Christ is it that is imputed?

II. As to the second Question, What is meant by Imputation of righte­ousness? I shall begin with the signification of the word, which as others is translated from humane use to signifie by similitude some divine thing. Putation, thinking belongs to the Art of Logic, and in the Greek the words are Conjugates, branches of the same root, and in Hebrew [...] is used for thoughts too; The Lord knoweth the thoughts of men, that they are vanity, Psal. 94.11. (2.) Computation belongs to Arithmetick, and Greek Authors explain this word by [...] and [...], to cal­culate, number or reckon, and as the Art of Logick has the name from the Greek, the Art of Arithmetick, Accompting, in Hebrew, has its Name from [...], see Munster's Lexicon; and so the Scripture uses the word, Lev. 25.27. Let him count the years of the sale thereof: Eccl. 7.26. Counting one by one, to find out the accompt. (3.) Imputation is an applying of Accompts, and the things valued and esteemed thereby; it is accompt, assign or ascribe, by way of counting and reckoning to some [Page 31]particular persons. We have here then the righteousness of Christ as a rich treasure of Grace in the bank of God; it's one individual Jewel given of God for the redemption of slaves, and its value is so great, and the way it's communicated being by Accompts, it may be distri­buted to pay for the redemption of Millions, all at various times and places. We have God represented as a great Merchant, with his rich Fund, and his Books of Accompts, the Merchandize Prov. 3. Is better than that of silver or gold: Rev. 3. the Naked may buy garments of Righteousness; and Isa. 55. they may buy without Money or Price. Among these Books Rev. 20.12. The books were open'd, and another book was open'd: There is one Book that is call'd The Lambs Book, Rev. 13.8. Whose Names are not written in the book of Life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the World. There are two Books of Life, one for Angels by their own inherent righteousness, another for fallen Man, who obtain it thorough the Death of the Lamb, his passive righteous­ness: In this book Christ has Credit for the redemption of all, agreed for between the Father and Son, and when a persons Name is put in that Book, Christ's righteousness is transferr'd to him for Life, for a salvation from all evil, Dan. 12.1. Thy People shall be deliver'd, every one that shall be found written in the Book: Luk. 10.20. Rejoice that your Names are written in Heaven: We may then see what the Imputation of Christ's righteousness to us is, it was the putting our Names in among the Number for whom Christ dy'd, it's having all Christ did and suffer'd put so to our accompt, that we may actually partake of all the Blessings God's goodness and grace design'd for us, but the trans­gress'd Law render'd it inconsistent with the Governour's Authority, Honour and Wisdom to confer it upon us; the way this impediment and bar was remov'd, was by the sufferings of Immanuel. Imputati­on is either the application of that benefit from Eternity in the Ele­ctive Decree of God, or the actual investing the Person with it in time: It's my present Light, that the Imputation of Righteousness to Blessedness was the eternal act, and the imputation of Faith to Righ­teousness the temporal; the former was 2 Tim. 1.9. a purpose of conferring this grace and gift of Righteousness upon us in Christ, be­fore the World began. There was a double Gift set down in that Book by him that is God of all grace, sovereign Proprietor. 1. We were given to Christ; Thine they were, and thou gavest them me. 2. Christ's Righteousness was given to us by his Consent, he became sure­ty, his Name was put in our Book of Debt and Death, and ours in his of Righteousness and Life.

Two things need proof here: 1. That Christ's Righteousness is [Page 32]transferr'd in its Value and Virtue to us in way of accompt. 2. That that was from Eternity. The first is manifest from the Text, for one cannot be justified without an antecedent righteousness; the Non­worker and Ungodly person has no righteousness of his own, it must then be anothers transferr'd, tho' it still inhere in him only, yet its value may be transferr'd to us: Thus Money may still lye in its old Chests, and yet be transferr'd in accompts thorough twenty several Men, as in Amsterdam, and now in London's Bank of England. Land is never remov'd from its place, and yet thoro' how many hands is it transferr'd, and its value is propos'd to be made as Current as Mo­ney by ingenious men, and imputation is made use of to denote the way. The second I shall not treat on, but I desire that I may not be misunderstood, for it's not my Opinion that we are justified from Eternity, no, not until Faith. Justification presupposes a righteous­ness, and a righteousness that we have some relation in, which is by imputation made or founded.

2. This is the common use of the word in Scripture, Philem. 18. If he hath wrong'd thee, or oweth thee, put that: The relative compre­hends the antecedent, that Debt, that Injury, that Theft, on my ac­count, impute it to me: The Levites are put in the room of the first­born, and the Heave-offering for the Corn of the Threshing-floor. The three famous Imputations in Scripture are Adam's sin to us, our sin to Christ, and Christ's righteousness to us: Our Faith and Religion are founded on them, and who denys one believes not aright any of them. The Imputation of our sin to Christ is fairly set out in Lev. 16.21. Aaron shall put all the Iniquities, sins and transgressions of the People of Israel upon the head of the live Goat.

I shall propose it thus, If our sin be imputed to Christ, his righteousness is to us; but our sin is imputed to Christ, Ergo.

The Proposition is a Majore, for it's more credible that Priviledges be imputed than Penalties, a man may give of his own at pleasure, but cannot punish another so: The assumption is express'd in Scripture, The Lord hath laid on him the Iniquity of us all, Isa. 53. 1 Pet. 2.24. Heb. 9. last. Psal. 31.10. 40.12. 69.5. as he groan'd under our sin, we may rejoice in his righteousness. In 2 Cor. 5.21. we have both Pro­positions, He hath made him to be sin for us who knew no sin, that we might be made the righteousness of God in him: The Question is, Whether sin or made be the words that are to bear the Interpretation? if sin for sacrifice, or made for imputed? I am for the latter: 1. Else sin would be used equivocally in different senses, and the Apostle would bring a So phism instead of an Argument; He knew no sin properly, Ergo, made [Page 33]sin; so he never knew any of his own, ours he knew. 2. Sin is in op­position to righteousness; it is not meant the effects of righteousness, a pardon; a pardon and righteousness are not usually put for one ano­ther. 3. That righteousness is still imply'd to inhere in him: Of God in him; and indeed made a pardon is not good sense. 4. Made is used for imputed, Rom. 5.19. By one mans disobedience many were made sinners, and by ones obedience many were made righteous. 5. Criticks distinguish be­tween [...] and [...], and say, the latter is used for a Sacrifice, not the former; and I find this distinction made Heb. 10.2, 3, 4. Conscience of sin, remembrance of sin, take away sin, there is [...]; but v. 6. Burnt-offering and sacrifice for sin, there is [...]; and I find it often in the seventy: Indeed the Hebrew [...] signifieth to sin, and to expiate or purifie from sin, but that is by an usual rule in that language, for the same word to signifie contraries in different conjugations: I have ob­serv'd nigh twenty Instances in the Bible, the Greek doth not so. I shall add to this Argument this explication of it: (1.) Christ took on him the state and condition of a guilty sinner, he was in albo reorum, he was taken from prison and judgment, he was in their sordid form, and dead in Law, so the Believers are put in the condition and state of righteous persons, so treated. 2. He had on him the guilt of a Votee, that is, by his own consent undertook to suffer; Lo I come, Psal. 40. 3. Also the guilt of a Surety for his Votee's guilt, i. e. his own consent put him in our place; a Votee's confinement and humiliation is for themselves, not others; the Covenant of Redemption put him under the Covenant of Works, his own consent brought him under the curse, and our sin brought us under; we enter by different doors, but come to the same place, the primitive Law. In opposition to this stands our freedom from that sanction; the sanction of that Law cannot touch a Believer, nor debar him from life, or any blessing God design'd him: Now all this guilt inheres in Christ, and this immunity and happy condition inheres in us: But, 4. Imputed speaks a relation to what inheres not; there may be a just foundation of imputation in the imputers Goodness and Grace, a man may give to another in his book of Accompts as well as in his Will, and make the Title as sure. 2. There may be an imputation when the ground of it is neither in the Imputer nor Imputee, as in the case of Bail, Surety or Hostages, who is may be kill'd, tormented for the treachery of his King, Countrey, or General; of this kind is the imputation of our sin to Christ, and his righteousness to us, it supposes them not to inhere; thus our sins and iniquities are laid on him, impu­ted to him, and his Blood, his Death is imputed to us, his righteous­ness; this Dr. Tuckney calls cogitative imputation.

3ly. The foundation this Translation is founded on is a proof for it, and that is threefold: (1.) A contract between the Father and Son about it. (2.) An union. And, (3.) An office by vertue of that contract. In the contract these three steps seems distinguishable: First, Christs per­son as God-man; it is not acording to the rules of Wisdom, that the means should be more noble than the end, and that this glorious person that is more excellent than Angels and Men, put them altogether, should be meerly a mean, or a tool, (to speak with reverence) to deliver us from misery, and to make us happy; he would not in all things have the preheminence, if he were Mediator and the Means only, and we the end; the end is the most noble, the end is first design'd; he would not be the first born of every creature in the Womb of divine decrees, if his existence was only thought on to save us: Nor could we be chosen in him, Eph. 1.5. If he had not some antecedent foundation in the thoughts of God, [compar'd with a consulting deliberating man:] in order antecedent to our Election; the ground is presuppos'd to the building: Let us then with the School-men conceive of such a person, design'd of God as the last most perfect and glorious of all the Creation of God, one in whom God glorifies the fulness of his sufficiency and bounty of his goodness to the uttermost, and he both by due and fitness becomes Lord and Governour of all the creatures. Secondly, To pass the Oeco­nomy of Angels above us, let us suppose by the conjunct Counsel of God the Father, and this now suppos'd Immanuel, [existing only in the divine nature, but a relative dignity and honour belonging to him as such a person, and in such an office, which was a glory, John 17. Glorifie me with that glory which I had with thee, before the foundation of the World: viz. To be Lord and end of the Creatures is a great glory, all others being made for him, Col. 1.16. All things were created for him; but now as Mediator, and in a state of humiliation, he is made a mean, and they the end] out of the species of men, some design'd and chosen to be the more immediate train and fellows of this great Lord, and end of all, Psal. 45.7. They are called Fellows; With the oyl of gladness a­bove all thy Fellows: We may read the designs and contrivance in Christs intercession for the compleat execution, John 17.24. Father, I will that they also whom thou hast given me be with me, where I am, that they may be­hold my glory which thou hast given me: How they do it, we may read Rev. 5.11, 12. &c. There being elect Angels as well as Men, renders this very consistent antecedent to the fall. But Thirdly, These being in the loyns of Adam, and under the common Lot of Man as to their Creature state, are permitted to fall with the whole mass of humane nature: Elective Grace and Love show'd it self in their redemption, [Page 35]but to Angels prevention, and their fall gives occasion to a New Work and Office to this Immanuel, and New Discoveries of his Love and Grace to these elected fellows, John 12.24. Except a corn of wheat fall in­to the ground and dye, it abideth alone, but if it dye, it bringeth forth much fruit. He compares his death to seed; says he, if I dye not, I shall lose all my fellows design'd; my Company and Train in heaven will not only be fewer, but I shall loose one whole kind of them, and that of next kindred to my own nature; I will never suffer it, I have power over my own Life to lay it down, and take it up, I am resolv'd to take their burden on my shoulders, the curse they are under shall strike thorough my Soul, but I will redeem them; I will give them a singular evidence of the goodness of their Lord and Master they are to serve. On the other hand, God the Father, with whom I should have begun, the God of all Grace, that he might manifest it in all its variety, and render the difference between the Creature and Creator more lustrious, and the degrees and steps of Happiness more numerous and tasteful, suf­fered them, permitted them to fall, but knew of one among the num­ber, a noble elect vessel, that could not fall; yea, that could give sa­tisfaction for their transgression; to glorifie his soveraignity, in show­ing what a subject was in his dominion, he commands him, Psal. 40. I come to do thy will; thy Law is within my heart; And to glorifie his good­ness, he gives this Lord of all to be their Priest, Sacrifice, Redeemer and Surety; the whole transaction we may read in the Covenant of Re­demption, Isa. 50.20. Psalm 89.3, 19, 20, 27. The Redeemer shall come to Zion, — This is my Covenant with them, my spirit that is upon thee, &c. shall not depart from thy seed: It's a Covenant with him concerning them; I have made a covenant with my chosen, — one chosen out of the people, — I have laid help on one that is mighty: Zach. 6.13. A Counsel of peace be­tween the Lord of Hosts, and the man the branch. By vertue of this Covenant the Creditor may pursue him for his voluntary undertaking, and Christ may sue out deliverance for his performance, therefore it becomes us to carry our petitions first to him, that in his right we may be delivered. 2. By vertue of this Covenant, and that relation that gave foundation to it, their arises a most strict union between Christ and us: Now the more they are one, the more reason for his righteousness to be imputed to us; they are one seed, Gal. 3.16, 29. and to thy seed, which is Christ: You may pursue any of the Brothers that share of the Fathers estate; any of the Members of the body may be punish'd for what another has done: We are all Members of one body. When a Society would give sufficient ground of Credit, they put it in their constitution, that you may pursue one for all; here tho­rough [Page 36]the oneness of nature all became Bankerupt thorough Adam; but much more united is that Society, one in Christ. ‘ Ruther, par. 2. p. 251. (1.) One and the same legal party, the same object of justice; he that pursues the surety, pursues the Debtor: (2.) The Debt is one; It's but one Debt that Christ suffer'd for, and sinners suffer for. (3.) The satisfaction or payment is one; it cannot be required of the prin­cipal debtor, what the surety has paid. (4.) The acceptation is one, if he accept of payment from the Surety, he cannot pursue the Debtor; and the Discharge is one, as Christ was deliver'd for our Of­fences, he rose again for our Justification.’ If a sinner was assur'd that he were an elect vessel, he might say, I have paid all in my surety; but as we have the priviledge of minors, so have we the folly, and therefore are treated as them, who have not wisdom to manage their own Estate. 3. The Office that Christ was put in thorough this Covenant for us, is a just foundation for imputation, Heb. 7.22. He was made surety of a better covenant: Whatever the word signifies there, it is for us as a Priest towards God, that he exerts it, as to the signification of the word tho' its but this once in the New-Testament, yet several times the seventy use it as the proper translation of Gharab, which Prov. 6.1. and 17.19. sig­nifieth surety, so Gen. 43.9. I will be surety for him, let me bear the blame for ever: 44.32. Thy servant became surety for the lad: The end of surety­ship is to be a ground of Trust; Dum curant homines ut diligentius sibi cau­tum sit, I have laid help on one that is mighty. (2.) One becomes so for ano­ther by contract, if in his own power, Fidejussor fit per stipulationem; be not thou one of them that strike hands, or that are sureties for Debts. (3.) It legally unites the persons, Fidejussor, propriè dicitur debitor: He was made under the Law; Singuli in solidum tenentur; each are bound for the whole; He was made sin, that knew no sin. (4.) Tis of several kinds; either it may preceed or follow the Obligation, it may either be for debt or for persons indemnity, or good behaviour, or for performance of con­dition, Isa. 36.8. Give pledges, I pray thee, to my Master, the King of Assyria: There is something of each of these in Christs 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 'twas undertaken.’

There are two Questions, the solution whereof might contribute a consiberable light in this affair, one is, What kind of righteousness that is [Page 37]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; 'tis 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 [Page 38]deniedness to this, a being emptied of it, as 'tis 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 'twas 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 [Page 39]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 change in the divine nature, to turn him out of an angry temper into a gracious, kind and merciful one, for the gift of the Son flow'd from the unchangeableness of his Love, but God as Supream King and Gover­nour by a just Law, well and wisely establish'd, could not in Honour ad­mit Rebels to the Priviledges he design'd for them, without a satisfacti­on made to the Government, which must be what the Law required, and that required Death; and as our Death begins with a mortal nature, and encreases thorough sickness and weakness, until it be compleated in a Death-stroke, or some violence prevent the gradualness, so Christ be­came like us in all things, excepting sin; one drop of Christ's Blood, one day of his humility, had dignity enough in in it, but he was to pay what the Law required, and the Law obtained all its ends in him. This may help us to understand these Phrases used very rudely, that God loves the elect when sinning as well as when praying: Its true as he is God, for there is no change in him, but not true as our God or Governour, and the Language of Scripture is in this latter sense, as he manifests himself thorough Law or Gospel, these being Rules of his dispensations, and glasses of our knowledge. (5.) On the other hand, though we obey the Law in some measure, and have a measure of suffering, which is ac­ceptable to God thorough Christ, if we have faith in him, yet this comes in as no satisfaction to that primitive Law, for we are not oblig'd to do what he did for us; it comes in as a preparing us for a possession in a holy Society, where no unclean thing can enter, so the imputation of Christ's obedience takes not away the necessity of our obedience, more than his passive takes away the necessity of our suffering or dying; It's appoint­ed for all once to dye, though Christ died, and its appointed for all to obey, though Christ obey'd; neither our suffering nor our obedience comes in as a part of that righteousness that first Law requir'd of us, as belonging to the covenant of Works; the breaking of this clay vessel ei­ther by Death, or what's equivalent, is necessary for our habitation in another Sphere, where this cannot enter; blessings of that would be a torment to this constitution: Sufferings are necessary to make us sensible what we deserve, and what our Saviour suffer'd for us; Holiness and Righteousness is necessary by precept, and as a means to fit and prepare for that possession. (3.) Thorough a congruity, as a fruit and an effect of that image of God begun to be drawn in us, by reason of which when [Page 40]in its perfection, it may be said, The Law is not made for a righteous man; and we read of no Law given to Adam, but Ceremonial Laws; the na­ture of God is the first Law; the Moral Law reveal'd is but a Copy of that divine temper, and when its perfectly writ in a Man's Heart with­out any blot, mistake or defect, to live holily is to live as he list, and by reason of this disposition of Soul a Saint can never be said to be with­out law, yet if we take law for an external Command, swaying by the force of its sanction against the stream of Inclination, a man is neither of the Law, nor under the Law. The 2d. and last Head propos'd, was about the sense of these words, Faith imputed to Righteousness, about which there are these three Opinions: Some say that Faith is taken objectively, Faith comprehending Christ's Righteousness is put for it, or Faith in justification is always valued as comprehending Christ's Righteousness. 2. Others say that God out of his Gracious Acceptation takes faith for the Righteousness Blessedness is due to; we say Christ's Righteousness comes in the room of that, they that Christ merited, that faith should be taken for it. The 3d. Which my judge­ment embraces, is, that faith is reckon'd of God the mean of Applicati­on, or Instrument of conveyance of Christ's Righteousness to us: Impu­tation applied to Faith is a note of Distinction, implying a double use of Faith, the one is by inhesion, and so it sanctifies us, the other is by im­putation, and so it justifies us, because it is the ceremony of Seisin, by which we are invested with, and entitled to the righteousness of Christ; this suits best with the former Metaphor of imputation in Books of ac­compts, for 'tis not only usual and necessary to transfer and impute Estates in Books of Accompts, where great Funds and Banks are, but there is given to the person who is made Creditor a Bank-bill or Tal­ly, bearing the value of the transferr'd summ, so that bit of Stick or Pa­per thorough imputation, if we compare it with these Bank-Books, makes the Man worth so much money as the transfer'd summ is; so in the Lamb's Book of Life there's not only a transferring of his righteous­ness to us, but there is given out this Bill or Tally of Faith to us, by which we are entitled to it: There are many Arguments which may both prove and explain this. (1.) It is without doubt that all our priviledg­es are convey'd one way, Faith bears the same relation to them all, Rom. 4.16. It's said the inheritance is of Faith, that it might be by grace; now Heb. 11.1. Faith's call'd the substance of things hop'd for; Substance, saith Tho. Aquin. is the beginning of a thing that necessarily at last infers the whole, that's in our English an Earnest; now if Faith be an earnest of Heaven, it bears the like relation to other priviledges, as Rev. 2.17. We read of a white stone, and in the stone a New Name; that was the [Page 41]stone of absolution, the Judge anciently instead of speaking his Sentence convey'd it, by the giving of a white or black stone; so if Faith be the earnest of our hopes, it's the stone of our pardon, it's the Ring of our Marriage with Christ, it's the Winte Raiment, Feast and New Name of our Manumission by justification; out of Slaves we are made Freemen, and Faith is the mean and instrument of Investiture with it. (2.) This sence of it removes a considerable difficulty among Divines, the Que­stion is, since Justification is a transitory act of God, and terminates upon the Creature, what it is that he doth when he justifies, or what bears the room of the justifying sentence? most say, the Word of God, the Gospel, but there's a great distinction between the voice of the Law and the voice of the Judge; the Law says, Whosoever believes shall be justified, but the voice of the Judge is, thou John or Thomas art absolv'd, its a par­ticular, positive and authorative Application of the Law. Mr. Baxter thinks, that God proclaims some publick Sentence among the Angels, but that's a groundless Notion; this seems to me most reasonable, that the gift of Faith being such a fruit of his special grace, that he gives to no sinner but 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 [Page 42]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 [Page 43]in the v. 1. is thus, Non assignari caasam à paulo, sed modum quo so [...] ­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 'twas 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 justified by his grace: Thus we see the Scripture lays an Emphasis on each of them, the gift of Faith, the nature of Faith, the object of Faith, and indeed this Bill would be but a counterfeit one, if it wanted any of these Properties or Relations. 1. It must be receiv'd from him that hath the power, or else it is not valid; By his knowledge shall my righteous servant justifie many. 2. It must be in true form, rightly dictated, that is its nature, or not valid. 3. The divine constitution, the Law of Heaven has made it have such a relation to Christ's righteousness, the riches of his Grace, and the Wisdom of the constitution shines in the fitness of the instru­ment, for our Souls are an open begging hand, a vast Appetite, It crys dai­ly, who will shew us any good? some good things I want, some more good, and this Faith clasps the hand on Christ offer'd, determines and cen­ters [Page 44]the desire, as on an Object that has all fullness in him, full satis­fact [...]on, and [...]o build a relation and union of right upon an union of nature; a Communion upon a cement of Union honours the Wisdom of the contriver: So we see all these three must be in a valid Bank-bill; it is not worth a Farthing in it self, a bit of Paper ink'd, but rela­tively to such a Summe, suppose 1000 l. it's worth so much, its very form consists in relation to that summe, that's its Object, it signally bears it, and if rightly drawn, and receiv'd from the right owner, their Constitution and the Law will make me Possessor in due time: If any of these qualifications be wanting, it is not worth a Farthing: 1. Drawn in true forms. 2. Bearing relation to its proper Object. 3. Receiv'd from him who has the riches in his power to give: And I find our Catechim and Confession insists as much on this as any; Conf. c. 11. — ‘Nor by imputing it self the act of believing, or any other Evangelical Obedience, but by imputing the Obedience and Satisfa­ction of Christ unto them, they receiving it by Faith, which is the Gift of God. 11. Thus its the alone Instrument of Justification, i. e. they are not justified until the Holy Spirit doth in due time actually ap­ply Christ unto them. Our lesser Catech. Q. How are we made partakers of the Redemption purchased by Christ? R. By the effe­ctual application of it to us by his Holy Spirit; for which they quote Tit. 3.5, 6, 7. Q. How doth the Spirit apply the Redemp­tion, &c? R. By working Faith in us, and thereby uniting us to Christ in our effectual calling.’ I may from thence form this Argu­ment, Maj. When Christ and his benefits are applyed to us, we are justified. Min. But when God effectually calls, Christ and his benefits are applyed to us. Erg. When effectually call'd, we are justified. It is granted, that Faith is the fruit of effectual Calling, and it cannot be deny'd that relations, viz. Justification, Adoption, flow as suddenly from their Foundations as effects can from their efficients. Or thus, Maj. The imputing Faith to Righteousness is an application of Christ and his benefits: Min. But the Spirit by working Faith applys Christ and his benefits: Erg. The Spirit by working Faith imputes Faith to Righteousness. But I need no o­ther Testimony but Scripture, that way the Faith of Miracles tempo­rally sav'd, that way saving Faith justifies; but by the Spirits work­ing the Faith of Miracles, when he saw their Faith, it was certainly a miraculous Gift, distinguishing and characterizing the persons to be heal'd; to give him that Faith, was to say, thou art to live to be cured, there was no cooperation of the creature to a Miracle. Further, compare C. 4, & 5. and we find imputing Faith to Righteousness, and giving a Righteousness, are the same; but Objections are not to be answer'd [Page 45]as Bullets in war, with the like, but explication and distinction: For the 1. The reason, the nature or exercise of faith is insisted on in Scrip­ture so much, is for our instruction; if the faith that God has given be that which entitles to Heaven and Happiness. 2. The reason the ob­ject is so much intimated, is to prevent a most dangerous error that the World is most liable to, viz Leaning on our own righteousness; such fools, to take the Bill for the Summ: But its certain the owner and pro­prietor must be the conveyer, I challenge to show what he doth else that looks like it. For the 2d. I propose these two Distinctions: 1. Between the state of justification and particular acts of pardon, or between the state of adoption, and particular blessings in possession; the former is convey'd thorough the gift of faith, the latter thorough the exercise of faith; a man gets right by the receiving of a Bill from the Proprietor, but when he comes for such a part of it, he brings his Bill and shows it, and writes a receipt on the back of it. Tho' we are but once justified, we daily pray, Lord forgive my debts; and once adopted, we daily pray for more enjoyment of what is due to that title. 2ly. With Mr. Frost, I propose a double instrumentality of Faith, one on the givers part, ano­ther on the receivers; so it is with Bills too; the Proprietor conveys his right, and the Receiver afterward pleads his right; so it is with faith, God conveys Christ and his Righteousness thorough it, and we plead for the benefit and use of it, as we need daily. But this I shall re­tain, that from the first gift of saving Faith, which turns us from un­godly to godly, we are justified and adopted persons, which entirely throws out that legal conditionality that among Socinians has thrown out Christ's satisfaction, and among Arminians has impair'd and delay'd its vertue toward sinners, until they come with something in themselves, a conformity to a new Law: And also Antinomianism, which is a de­nomination that comprehends all Errors, dishonourable to the Law or Law giver, and whatever Doctrine is against the necessity, stability and perfection of the Law of God, is of this kind; whatever Doctrine re­moves the necessity of the Law, removes the necessity of Christ's satis­faction, and what Doctrine removes perfection from the Law of God, removes the Glory from God's Holiness; but to suppose one under the Law sav'd, and that Law neither fulfill'd nor satisfied by the personor his Surety, is to suppose the Law changeable, not necessary; if Christ only fulfill'd the mediatorial Law, and not that we were under, then that Law and Government bult on it was remov'd and chang'd without sa­tisfaction. If the grand influence of Christ's righteousness by the Media­torial Law was to get it chang'd for an easier and less perfect, we must either say, the influence of Christ's satisfaction did terminate on the na­ture [Page 46]of God, and make a change in his temper from anger to mercy, and perfection of holiness to indulgence in carnality or say; that the Fa­ther and Son were of two different minds, but the latter thorough his obedience gain'd him to his mind; for what has influence on God, as Govenrour, has influence on the Law, (Administrations of Government must be rul'd by the Law) and what has influence on the Law for our good, must fulfill its precepts or satisfie its sanction. The Law has no o­ther Language, and if Christ did neither, the influence must not ter­minate on the Government, but on the nature God, or Fathers person in the Godhead. But the Scripture informs us, That God sent his Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, that the righteousness of the Law might be fulfill'd in us: In us, says Vastius, by application, but in Christ by inhesion; in us by im­putation, but in Christ personally, says Calvin, Muscus, Beza, Rollock, Fulke, Cartwright, Elton; says Dr. Jacomb, all Protestants; he adds, his active and has passive as if they had obey'd it in their own Persons, the Law is wholly fulfill'd in him, and that very righteousness is ours in a Law sense, and so fulfill'd in us. 3ly. It overthrows Libertinism, for if the same grace sanctifies that justifies, they can never pretend to the one that want the other. 4ly. Popery, that makes justification and san­ctification one, that differ as far as the Category of Quality and Rela­tion. I have no place for futher use, than to intreat every one as they love their own souls, and long for pardon of sin, not to quench or pro­voke the Holy Spirit of God, for that is his Errand as well as sanctifi­cation. 2. As ever they would enjoy this free spirit, be diligent and conscientious in all Ordinances, that are ministrations of the Spirit; he is to be reciev'd in the bearing of Faith. 3. Study this imputed righte­ousness of Christ, until thou experience most deep humility and most sweet comfort from it, Rom. 11.19. Thou standest by faith, be not high minded, but fear; thou depends entirely for faith and righteousness on another, thou wast prevented in thy ungodliness, when thou receiv'd that gift. 2. How much will God do for thee, when thou art his Son and Servant, if he did so much for thee when an eremy, Rom. 5.9. Much more then being now justified by his blood, we shall be sav'd; thou hast now gi­ven to thee at once a perfect and an everlasting righteousness, a total forgiveness of all thy sins, a work of holiness God has engaged to per­fect.

Vale.