Punishment threatened been immediately inflicted unto the utmost of what was contained in it this could have been no Question For Man had died immediately both temporally and eternally and been cast out of that state wherein alone he could stand in any relation unto the preceptive power of the Law He that is finally executed hath fulfilled the Law so as that he ows no more obedience unto it But 2. God in his Wisdom and Patience hath otherwise disposed of things Man is continued a Viator still in the way unto his end and not fully stated in his eternal and unchangeable condition wherein neither Promise nor Threatning Reward nor Punishment could be proposed unto him In this condition he falls under a twofold consideration 1. Of a guilty person and so is obliged unto the full punishment that the Law threatens This is not denied 2. Of a Man a Rational Creature of God not yet brought unto his Eternal End 3. In this state the Law is the only instrument and means of the continuance of the Relation between God and him Wherefore under this consideration it cannot but still oblige him unto Obedience unless we shall say that by his sin he hath exempted himself from the Government of God Wherefore it is by the Law that the Rule and Government of God over Men is continued whilest they are in statu Viatorum For every Disobedience every Transgression of its Rule and Order as to its commanding Power casteth us afresh and further under its Power of obliging unto Punishment Neither can these things be otherwise neither can any Man living not the worst of Men chuse but judge himself whilest he is in this World obliged to give Obedience unto the Law of God according to the notices that he hath of it by the light of nature or otherwise A wicked servant that is punished for his fault if it be with such a punishment as yet continues his Being and his state of servitude is not by his Punishment freed from an Obligation unto Duty according unto the Rule of it Yea his Obligation unto Duty with respect unto that crime for which he was punished is not dissolved until his punishment be capital and so put an end unto his state Wherefore seeing that by the pardon of sin we are freed only from the Obligation unto Punishment there is moreover required unto our Justification an Obedience unto what the Law requireth And this greatly strengthneth the Argument in whose Vindication we are ingaged for we being sinners we were obnoxious both unto the Command and Curse of the Law Both must be answered or we cannot be justified And as the Lord Christ could not by his most perfect Obedience satisfie the Curse of the Law dying thou shalt die so by the utmost of his suffering he could not fulfil the command of the Law Do this and live Passion as Passion is not Obedience though there may be Obedience in suffering as there was in that of Christ unto the height Wherefore as we plead that the Death of Christ is imputed unto us for our Justification so we deny that it is imputed unto us for our Righteousness For by the Imputation of the Sufferings of Christ our sins are remitted or pardoned and we are delivered from the Curse of the Law which he underwent But we are not thence esteemed just or righteous which we cannot be without respect unto the fulfilling of the Commands of the Law or the Obedience by it required The whole matter is excellently expressed by Grotius in the words before alledged Cum duo nobis peperisse Christum dixerimus impunitatem praemium illud satisfactioni hoc merito Christi distincte tribuit vetus Ecclesia Satisfactio consistit in meritorum translatione meritum in perfectissimae obedientiae pro nobis praestitae imputatione 3. The Objection mentioned proceeds also on this Supposition That pardon of sin gives title unto Eternal Blessedness in the injoyment of God For Justification doth so and according to the Authors of this opinion no other Righteousness is required thereunto but pardon of sin That Justification doth give Right and Title unto Adoption Acceptation with God and the Heavenly Inheritance I suppose will not be denied and it hath been proved already Pardon of sin depends solely on the death or suffering of Christ In whom we have Redemption through his Blood the forgiveness of sins according to the riches of his Grace Ephes. 1.7 But suffering for Punishment gives Right and Title unto nothing only satisfies for something nor doth it deserve any Reward It is no where said Suffer this and live but Do this and live These things I confess are inseparably connected in the Ordinance Appointment and Covenant of God Whosoever hath his sins pardoned is accepted with God hath Right unto Eternal Blessedness These things are inseparable but they are not one and the same And by reason of their inseparable Relation are they so put together by the Apostle Rom. 4.6 7 8. Even as David also describeth the Blessedness of the Man unto whom God imputeth Righteousness without Works Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven and whose sins are covered Blessed is the Man unto whom the Lord will not impute sin It is the Imputation of Righteousness that gives Right unto Blessedness but pardon of sin is inseparable from it and an effect of it both being opposed unto Justification by Works or an Internal Righteousness of our own But it is one thing to be freed from being liable unto Eternal Death and another to have Right and Title unto a Blessed and Eternal Life It is one thing to be redeemed from under the Law that is the Curse of it another to receive the Adoption of Sons One thing to be freed from the Curse another to have the Blessing of Abraham come upon us as the Apostle distinguisheth these things Gal. 3.13 14. 4.4 5 And so doth our Lord Jesus Christ Acts 26.18 That they may receive forgiveness of sins and inheritance a Lot and Right to the Inheritance amongst them that are sanctified by Faith that is in me 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which we have by Faith in Christ is only a dismission of sin from being pleadable unto our condemnation on which account there is no condemnation unto them that are in Christ Jesus But a Right and Title unto Glory or the Heavenly Inheritance it giveth not Can it be supposed that all the great and glorious effects of present Grace and future Blessedness should follow necessarily on and be the effect of meer pardon of sin Can we not be pardoned but we must thereby of necessity be made Sons Heirs of God and Coheirs with Christ Pardon of sin is in God with respect unto the sinner a free gratuitous Act Forgiveness of sin through the riches of his Grace But with respect unto the satisfaction of Christ it is an Act in Judgment For on the consideration thereof as imputed unto him doth God absolve and
application of them unto all that do believe which may be justly pleaded unto the same purpose with those passages of the Context which we have insisted on But if every Testimony should be pleaded which the Holy Ghost hath given unto this Truth there would be no end of writing One thing more I shall observe and put an end unto our discourse on this Chapter Vers. 6 7 8. The Apostle pursues his Argument to prove the freedom of our Justification by Faith without respect unto Works through the Imputation of Righteousness in the instance of pardon of Sin which essentially belongeth thereunto And this he doth by the Testimony of the Psalmist who placeth the blessedness of a man in the Remission of Sins His design is not thereby to declare the full nature of Justification which he had done before but only to prove the freedom of it from any respect unto Works in the instance of that essential part of it Even as David also describeth the blessedness of the man unto whom God imputeth Righteousness without Works which was the only thing he designed to prove by this Testimony saying Blessed are they whose Iniquities are forgiven He describes their blessedness by it not that their whole blessedness doth consist therein but this concurs unto it wherein no respect can possibly be had unto any Works whatever And he may justly from hence describe the blessedness of a man in that the Imputation of Righteousness and the Non-Tmputation of Sin both which the Apostle mentioneth distinctly wherein his whole blessedness as unto justification doth consist are inseparable And because Remission of Sin is the first part of Justification and the principal part of it and hath the Imputation of Righteousness always accompanying it the blessedness of a man may be well described thereby Yea whereas all Spiritual Blessings go together in Christ Eph. 1.3 A mans blessedness may be described by any of them But yet the Imputation of Righteousness and the Remission of Sin are not the same no more than Righteousness imputed and Sin remitted are the same Nor doth the Apostle propose them as the same but mentioneth them distinctly both being equally necessary unto our compleat Justification as hath been proved Chap. 5. Vers. 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21. Wherefore as by one man Sin entred into the world and death by Sin and so death passed upon all men for that all have sinned For until the Law Sin was in the world But Sin is not imputed when there is no Law Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses even over them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adams transgression who is the figure of him that was to come But not as the offence so also is the free gift For if through the offence of one many be dead much more the grace of God and the gift by Grace which is by one man Jesus Christ hath abounded unto many And not as it was by one that sinned so is the gift For the Judgment was by one to condemnation but the free gift is of many offences unto Justification For if by one mans offence death reigned by one much more they which receive abundance of Grace and of the gift of Righteousness shall reign in life by one Jesus Christ. Therefore as by the offence of one Judgment came upon all men to condemnation Even so by the Righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto Justification of life For as by one mans disobedience many were made Sinners So by the obedience of one shall many be made Righteous Moreover the Law entred that the offence might abound But where Sin abounded Grace did much more abound That as Sin hath reigned unto death even so might Grace reign through Righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord. The Apostle Chap. 3.27 affirms That in this matter of Justification all 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or boasting is excluded But here in the Verse foregoing he grants a boasting or a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And not only so but we also glory in God he excludes boasting in our selves because there is nothing in us to procure or promote our own Justification He allows it us in God because of the eminency and excellency of the way and means of our Justification which in his Grace he hath provided And the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or boasting in God here allowed us hath a peculiar respect unto what the Apostle had in prospect further to discourse of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and not only so includes what he had principally treated of before concerning our Justification so far as it consists in the pardon of sin For although he doth suppose yea and mention the imputation of Righteousness also unto us yet principally he declares our Justification by the pardon of sin and our freedom from condemnation whereby all boasting in our selves is excluded But here he designs a further progress as unto that whereon our glorying in God on a right and title freely given us unto eternal life doth depend And this is the Imputation of the Righteousness and Obedience of Christ unto the Justification of life or the reign of Grace through Righteousness unto eternal Life Great complaints have been made by some concerning the obscurity of the discourse of the Apostle in this place by reason of sundry Ellipses Antapodota Hyperbata and other Figures of Speech which either are or are feigned to be therein Howbeit I cannot but think that if Men acquainted with the common principles of Christian Religion and sensible in themselves of the nature and guilt of our original apostasie from God would without prejudice read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 this place of the Scripture they will grant that the design of the Apostle is to prove that as the sin of Adam was imputed unto all Men unto condemnation so the Righteousness and Obedience of Christ is imputed unto all that believe unto the Justification of life The sum of it is given by Theodoret Dial. 3. Vide quomodo quae Christi sunt cum iis quae sunt Adami conferantur cum morbo medicina cum vulnere emplastrum cum Peccato justitia cum execratione benedictio cum condemnatione remissio cum transgressione obedientia cum morte vita cum inferis regnum Christus cum Adam homo cum homine The differences that are among Interpreters about the Exposition of these words relate unto the use of some Particles Prepositions and the dependance of one passage upon another on none of which the confirmation of the truth pleaded for doth depend But the plain design of the Apostle and his express Propositions are such as if Men could but acquiesce in them might put an end unto this controversie Socinus acknowledgeth that this place of Scripture doth give as he speaks the greatest occasion unto our opinion in this matter For he cannot deny but at least a great appearance of what we
of this Covenant are established in the Covenant it self whereon God will bestow all the Benefits and Effects of it upon us which are Faith and Obedience Wherefore what the Lord Christ hath done for us is thus far accepted as our legal Righteousness as that God upon our Faith and Obedience with respect thereunto doth release and pardon all our sins of Omission and Commission Upon this pardon there is no need of any positive perfect Righteousness unto our Justification or Salvation but our own personal Righteousness is accepted with God in the room of it by virtue of the New Covenant which Christ hath procured So is the Doctrine hereof stated by Cursellaeus and those that join with him or follow him Sundry things there are in these Opinions that deserve an Examination and they will most if not all of them occur unto us in our progress That which alone we have occasion to enquire into with respect unto what we have discoursed concerning the Lord Christ as surety of the Covenant and which is the Foundation of all that is asserted in them is That Christ by his death procured the New Covenant for us which as one says is all that we have thereby which if it should prove otherwise we are not beholding unto it for any thing at all But these things must be examined And 1. The Terms of procuring the New Covenant are ambiguous It is not as yet that I know of by any declared how the Lord Christ did procure it whether he did so by his Satisfaction and Obedience as the meritorious cause of it or by what other kind of causality Unless this be stated we are altogether uncertain what Relation of the New Covenant unto the Death of Christ is intended And to say that thereunto we owe the New Covenant doth not mend the matter but rather render the Terms more ambiguous Neither is it declared whether the Constitution of the Covenant or the Communication of the Benefits of it are intended It is yet no less general That God was so well pleased with what Christ did as that hereon he made and entered into a New Covenant with mankind This they may grant who yet deny the whole satisfaction and merit of Christ. If they mean that the Lord Christ by his Obedience and Suffering did meritoriously procure the making and establishing of the New Covenant which was all that he so procured and the entire effect of his death what they say may be understood but the whole Nature of the Mediation of Christ is overthrown thereby 2. This Opinion is liable unto a great Prejudice in that whereas it is in such a Fundamental Article of our Religion and about that wherein the Eternal Welfare of the Church is so nearly concerned there is no mention made of it in the Scripture For is it not strange that if this be as some speak the sole effect of the Death of Christ whereas sundry other things are frequently in the Scripture ascribed unto it as the effects and fruits thereof that this which is only so should be no where mentioned neither in express words nor such as will allow of this sense by any just or lawful consequence Our Redemption Pardon of sins the Renovation of our Natures our Sanctification Justification Peace with God Eternal Life are all joyntly and severally assigned thereunto in places almost without number But it is no where said in the Scripture that Christ by his death merited procured obtained the New Covenant or that God should enter into a New Covenant with mankind yea as we shall see that which is contrary unto it and inconsistent with it is frequently asserted 3. To clear the Truth herein we must consider the several notions and causes of the New Covenant with the true and real respect of the Death of Christ thereunto And it is variously represented unto us 1. In the Designation and Preparation of its Terms and Benefits in the Counsel of God And this although it have the nature of an Eternal Decree yet is it not the same with the Decree of Election as some suppose For that properly respects the subjects or persons for whom Grace and Glory are prepared This is the Preparation of that Grace and Glory as to the way and manner of their communication Some learned men do judge that this counsel and purpose of the Will of God to give Grace and Glory in and by Jesus Christ unto the Elect in the way and by the means by him prepared is formally the Covenant of Grace or at least that the substance of the Covenant is comprized therein But it is certain that more is required to compleat the whole nature of a Covenant Nor is this purpose or counsel of God called the Covenant in the Scripture but is only proposed as the spring and fountain of it Eph. 1. â—â— 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11. Unto the full Exemplification of the Covenant of Grace there is required the Declaration of this Counsel of Gods Will accompanied with the means and powers of its Accomplishment and the Prescription of the ways whereby we are so to be interessed in it and made partakers of the Benefits of it But in the enquiry after the procuring cause of the New Covenant it is the first thing that ought to come under consideration For nothing can be the procuring cause of the Covenant which is not so of this spring and fountain of it of this Idea of it in the mind of God of the preparation of its Terms and Benefits But this is no where in the Scripture affirmed to be the effect of the Death or Mediation of Christ and to ascribe it thereunto is to overthrow the whole freedom of eternal Grace and Love Neither can any thing that is absolutely Eternal as is this Decree and Counsel of God be the effect of or procured by any thing that is external and temporal 2. It may be considered with respect unto the foederal Transactions between the Father and the Son concerning the Accomplishment of this Counsel of his Will What these were wherein they did consist I have declared at large Exercitat Vol. 2. Neither do I call this the Covenant of Grace absolutely nor is it so called in the Scripture But yet some will not distinguish between the Covenant of the Mediator and the Covenant of Grace because the promises of the Covenant absolutely are said to be made to Christ Gal. 3.16 and he is the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or first subject of all the Grace of it But in the Covenant of the Mediator Christ stands alone for himself and undertakes for himself alone and not as the Repretsentive of the Church But this he is in the Covenant of Grace But this is that wherein it had its designed establishment as unto all the ways means and ends of its Accomplishment and all things so disposed as that it might be effectual unto the eternal Glory of the Wisdom Grace Righteousness and Power of
acquit the sinner upon his tryal But pardon on a juridical tryal on what consideration soever it be granted gives no right nor title unto any favor benefit or priviledge but only meer deliverance It is one thing to be acquitted before the Throne of a King of Crimes laid unto the charge of any Man which may be done by clemency or on other considerations another to be made his Son by Adoption and Heir unto his Kingdom And these things are represented unto us in the Scripture as distinct and depending on distinct causes So are they in the Vision concerning Joshua the High Priest Zech. 3.4 5 And he answered and spake unto those that stood before him saying Take away the filthy garments from him And unto him he said Behold I have caused thine iniquity to pass from thee and I will cloath thee with change of rayment And I said Let them set a fair Miter upon his Head so they set a fair Miter on his Head and cloathed him with garments It hath been generally granted That we have here a Representation of the Justification of a sinner before God And the taking away of filthy garments is expounded by the passing away of iniquity When a Mans filthy garments are taken away he is no more defiled with them but he is not thereby cloathed This is an additional grace and favor thereunto namely to be cloathed with change of garments And what this rayment is is declared Isa. 61.10 He hath cloathed me with the garments of Salvation he hath covered me with the robe of Righteousness which the Apostle alludes unto Phil. 3.9 Wherefore these things are distinct namely the taking away of the filthy garments and the cloathing of us with change of rayment or the pardon of sin and the robe of Righteousness by the one are we freed from Condemnation by the other have we right unto Salvation And the same is in like manner represented Ezek. 16.6 7 8 9 10 11 12. This place I had formerly urged to this purpose about Communion with God p. 187. which Mr. Hotch in his usual manner attempts to answer And to omit his reviling expressions with the crude unproved assertion of his own conceits his answer is That by the change of rayment mentioned in the Prophet our own personal righteousness is intended For he acknowledgeth that our Justification before God is here represented And so also he expounds the place produced in the confirmation of the Exposition given Isai. 61.10 where this change of rayment is called The garments of Salvation and the robe of Righteousness and thereon affirms That our Righteousness it self before God is our Personal Righteousness p. 203. That is in our Justification before him which is the only thing in question To all which Presumptions I shall oppose only the testimony of the same Prophet which he may consider at his leisure and which at one time or other he will subscribe unto Chap. 64.6 We are all as an unclean thing and all our Righteousnesses are as filthy rags He who can make garments of Salvation and robes of Righteousness of these filthy rags hath a skill in composing Spiritual Vestments that I am not acquainted withal What remains in the Chapter wherein this Answer is given unto that testimony of the Scripture I shall take no notice of it being after his accustomed manner only a perverse wresting of my words unto such a sense as may seem to countenance him in casting a reproach upon my self and others There is therefore no force in the comparing of these things unto life and death natural which are immediately opposed So that he who is not dead is alive and he who is alive is not dead there being no distinct state between that of life and death For these things being of different natures the comparison between them is no way argumentative Though it may be so in things natural it is otherwise in things Moral and Political where a proper Representation of Justification may be taken as it is forensick If it were so that there is no difference between being acquitted of a crime at the Bar of a Judge and a Right unto a Kingdom nor different state between these things it would prove that there is no intermediate estate between being pardoned and having a Right unto the Heavenly Inheritance But this is a fond imagination It is true That Right unto Eternal Life doth succeed unto freedom from the guilt of Eternal Death That they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among them that are sanctified But it doth not so do out of a necessity in the nature of the things themselves but only in the free constitution of God Believers have the pardon of sin and an immediate Right and Title unto the favor of God the Adoption of Sons and Eternal Life But there is another state in the nature of the things themselves and this might have been so actually had it so seemed good unto God For who sees not that there is a Status or Conditio Personae wherein he is neither under the guilt of Condemnation nor hath an immediate Right and Title unto Glory in the way of Inheritance God might have pardoned Men all their sins past and placed them in a state and condition of seeking Righteousness for the future by the Works of the Law that so they might have lived For this would answer the original state of Adam But God hath not done so true but whereas he might have done so it is evident that the disposal of Men into this state and condition of Right unto Life and Salvation doth not depend on nor proceed from the pardon of sin but hath another cause which is the Imputation of the Righteousness of Christ unto us as he fulfilled the Law for us And in truth this is the opinion of the most of our Adversaries in this cause For they do contend that over and above the remission of sin which some of them say is absolute without any respect unto the merit or satisfaction of Christ others refer it unto them they all contend that there is moreover a Righteousness of Works required unto our Justification only they say this is our own incomplete imperfect Righteousness imputed unto us as if it were perfect that is for what it is not and not the Righteousness of Christ imputed unto us for what it is From what hath been discoursed it is evident that unto our Justification before God is required Not only that we be freed from the damnatory sentence of the Law which we are by the pardon of sin but moreover that the Righteousness of the Law be fulfilled in us or that we have a Righteousness answering the Obedience that the Law requires whereon our acceptance with God through the riches of his Grace and our Title unto the heavenly Inheritance do depend This we have not in and of our selves nor can attain unto as hath been proved Wherefore the perfect Obedience and
Righteousness of Christ is imputed unto us or in the sight of God we can never be Justified Nor are the cavilling Objections of the Socinians and those that follow them of any force against the Truth herein They tell us that the Righteousness of Christ can be imputed but unto one if unto any For who can suppose that the same Righteousness of One should become the Righteousness of many even of all that believe Besides he performed not all the Duties that are required of us in all our Relations he being never placed in them These things I say are both foolish and impious destructive unto the whole Gospel For all things here depend on the Ordination of God It is his Ordinance that as through the offence of One many are dead so his Grace and the Gift of Grace through one man Christ Jesus hath abounded unto many and as by the Offence of one Judgment came upon all men unto Condemnation so by the Righteousness of One the free Gift came upon all unto the Righteousness of life and by the Obedience of One many are made Righteous as the Apostle argues Rom. 5. For God sent his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin that the Righteousness of the Law might be fulfilled in us Rom. 8.3 4. For he was the End of the Law the whole End of it for Righteousness unto them that do believe Chap. 10.4 This is the Appointment of the Wisdom Righteousness and Grace of God that the whole Righteousness and Obedience of Christ should be accepted as our compleat Righteousness before him imputed unto us by his Grace and applied unto us or made ours through believing and consequently unto all that believe And if the actual Sin of Adam be imputed unto us all who derive our Nature from him unto Condemnation though he sinned not in our Circumstances and Relations is it strange that the actual Obedience of Christ should be imputed unto them who derive a Spiritual Nature from him unto the Justification of life Besides both the Satisfaction and Obedience of Christ as relating unto his person were in some sense infinite that is of an infinite Value and so cannot be considered in Parts as though one Part of it were imputed unto one and another unto another but the whole is imputed unto every one that doth believe And if the Israelites could say that David was worth ten thousand of them 2 Sam. 21.3 we may well allow the Lord Christ and so what he did and suffered to be more than us all and all that we can do and suffer There are also sundry other mistakes that concur unto that part of the Charge against the Imputation of the Righteousness of Christ unto us which we have now considered I say of his Righteousness for the Apostle in this case useth those two words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Righteousness and Obedience as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the same signification Rom. 5.18 19. such are those that Remission of Sin and Justification are the same or that Justification consisteth only in the Remission of Sin that Faith it self as our Act and Duty being it is the Condition of the Covenant is imputed unto us for Righteousness or that we have a personal inherent Righteousness of our own that one way or other is our Righteousness before God unto Justification either a Condition it is or a Disposition unto it or hath a congruity in deserving the Grace of Justification or a down-right merit of Condignity thereof For all these are but various expressions of the same thing according unto the Variety of the Conceptions of the Minds of men about it But they have been all considered and removed in our precedent Discourses To close this Argument and our Vindication of it and therewithal to obviate an Objection I do acknowledg that our Blessedness and life eternal is in the Scripture oftimes ascribed unto the death of Christ But it is so 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the principal Cause of the whole and as that without which no imputation of Obedience could have justified us for the Penalty of the Law was indispensibly to be undergone 2. It is so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not exclusively unto all Obedience whereof mention is made in other Places but as that whereunto it is inseparably conjoyned Christus in vita passivam habuit actionem in morte passionem activam sustinuit dum salutem operaretur in medio terrae Bernard And so it is also ascribed unto his Resurrection 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with respect unto Evidence and Manifestation But the Death of Christ exclusively as unto his Obedience is no where asserted as the Cause of eternal life comprizing that exceeding Weight of Glory wherewith it is accompanied Hitherto we have treated of and Vindicated the Imputation of the Active Obedience of Christ unto us as the Truth of it was deduced from the preceding Argument about the Obligation of the Law of Creation I shall now briefly confirm it with other Reasons and Testimonies 1. That which Christ the Mediator and Surety of the Covenant did do in Obedience unto God in the discharge and Performance of his Office that he did for us and that is imputed unto us This hath been proved already and it hath too great an Evidence of Truth to be denied He was born to us given to us Isa. 9.6 For what the Law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin condemned sin in the flesh that the Righteousness of the Law might be fulfilled in us Rom. 8.3 4. Whatever is spoken of the Grace Love and Purpose of God in sending or giving his Son or of the Love Grace and Condescention of the Son in coming and undertaking of the Work of Redemption designed unto him or of the Office it self of a Mediator or Surety gives Testimony unto this Assertion Yea it is the Fundamental Principle of the Gospel and of the Faith of all that truly believe As for those by whom the Divine Person and Satisfaction of Christ are denied whereby they evert the whole Work of his Mediation we do not at present consider them Wherefore what he so did is to be enquired into And 1. The Lord Christ our Mediator and Surety was in his Humane Nature made 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 under the Law Gal. 4.1 That he was not so for himself by the necessity of his Condition we have proved before It was therefore for us But as made under the Law he yielded Obedience unto it this therefore was for us and is imputed unto us The exception of the Socinians that it is the Judicial Law only that is intended is too frivolous to be insisted on For he was made under that Law whose Curse we are delivered from And if we are delivered only from the Curse of the Law of Moses wherein they contend that there
in our general Enquiry into the use of it in our Justification It shall not therefore be here much again insisted on Two things we may observe concerning it 1. That it is so expressed with respect unto the whole Object of Faith or unto all that doth any way concur unto our Justification For 1. We are said to receive Christ himself Vnto as many as have received him he gave power to become the Sons of God Joh. 1.12 As you have received Christ Jesus the Lord Col. 2.6 In Opposition hereunto Unbelief is exprest by not receiving of him Joh. 11.1 Chap. 3.11 Chap. 12.48 Chap. 14.17 And it is a receiving of Christ as he is the Lord our Righteousness as of God he is made Righteousness unto us And as no Grace no Duty can have any co-operation with Faith herein this Reception of Christ not belonging unto their Nature nor comprized in their Exercise so it excludes any other Righteousness from our Justification but that of Christ alone For we are justified by Faith Faith alone receiveth Christ and what it receives is the Cause of our Justification whereon we become the Sons of God So we receive the Atonement made by the blood of Christ Rom. 5.11 For God hath set him forth to be a Propitiation through Faith in his Blood And this receiving of the Atonement includeth the Souls Approbation of the way of Salvation by the blood of Christ and and the Appropriation of the Atonement made thereby unto our own Souls For thereby also we receive the forgiveness of Sins That they may receive the forgiveness of Sin through the Faith that is in me Acts 26.18 In receiving Christ we receive the Atonement and in the Atonement we receive the forgiveness of Sins But moreover the Grace of God and Righteousness it self as the Efficient and Material Cause of our Justification are received also even the Abundance of Grace and the Gift of Righteousness Rom. 5.17 So that Faith with the respect unto all the Causes of Justification is expressed by receiving For it also receiveth the Promise the Instrumental Cause on the Part of God thereof Acts 2.41 Heb. 9.15 2. That the Nature of Faith and its acting with respect unto all the Causes of Justification consisting in receiving that which is the Object of it must be offered tendred and given unto us as that which is not our own but is made our own by that giving and receiving This is evident in the general Nature of receiving And herein as was observed as no other Grace or Duty can concur with it so the Righteousness whereby we are justified can be none of our own antecedent unto this Reception nor at any time inherent in us Hence we argue That if the Work of Faith in our Justification be receiving of what is freely granted given communicated and imputed unto us that is of Christ of the Attonement of the Gift of Righteousness of the forgiveness of Sins than have our other Graces our Obedience Duties Works no influence into our Justification nor are any Causes or Conditions thereof For they are neither that which doth receive nor that which is received which alone concur thereunto 2. Faith is expressed by looking Look unto me and be saved Isa. 45.22 A man shall look to his Maker and his Eyes shall have respect unto the Holy One of Israel Chap. 17.1 They shall look on me whom they have pierced Zech. 12.10 See Psal. 123.2 The nature hereof is expressed Joh. 3.14 15. As Moses lifted up the Serpent in the Wilderness even so must the Son of man be lifted up that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have eternal life For so was he to be lifted up on the Cross in his Death Joh. 8.28 Chap. 12.32 The Story is recorded Numb 21.8 9. I suppose none doubt but that the Stinging of the people by fiery Serpents and the Death that ensued thereon were Types of the guilt of Sin and the Sentence of the fiery Law thereon For these things happened unto them in Types 1 Cor. 10.11 When any was so stung or bitten if he betook himself unto any other Remedies he dyed and perished Only they that looked unto the Brazen Serpent that was lifted up were healed and lived For this was the Ordinance of God this way of healing alone had he appointed And their healing was a Type of the Pardon of Sin with everlasting life So by their looking is the Nature of Faith expressed as our Saviour plainly expounds it in this P ace So must the Son of man be lifted up that he that believeth on him that is as the Israelites looked unto the Serpent in the Wilderness And although this Expression of the great Mystery of the Gospel by Christ himself hath been by some derided or as they call it exposed yet is it really as instructive of the Nature of Faith Justification and Salvation by Christ as any passage in the Scripture Now if Faith whereby we are justified and in that exercise of it wherein we are so be a looking unto Christ under a sense of the guilt of Sin and our lost Condition thereby for all for our only Help and Relief for Deliverance Righteousness and life then is it therein exclusive of all other Graces and Duties whatever for by them we neither look nor are they the things which we look after But so is the Nature and Exercise of Faith expressed by the Holy Ghost And they who do believe understand his mind For whatever may be pretended of Metaphor in the Expression Faith is that Act of the Soul whereby they who are hopeless helpless and lost in themselves do in a way of expectancy and Trust seek for all help and relief in Christ alone or there is not Truth in it And this also sufficiently evinceth the Nature of our Justification by Christ. 3. It is in like manner frequently expressed by coming unto Christ. Come unto me all ye that labour Mat. 11.28 See Joh. 6.35.37 45 65. Chap. 7.37 To come unto Christ for life and Salvation is to believe on him unto the Justification of life But no other Grace or Duty is a coming unto Christ and therefore have they no place in Justification He who hath been convinced of Sin who hath been wearied with the Burthen of it who hath really designed to fly from the Wrath to come and hath heard the Voice of Christ in the Gospel inviting him to come unto him for Help and Relief will tell you that this coming unto Christ consisteth in a mans going out of himself in a compleat Renunciation of all his own Duties and Righteousness and betaking himself with all his Trust and Confidence unto Christ alone and his Righteousness for pardon of Sin acceptation with God and a right unto the Heavenly Inheritance It may be some will say this is not believing but canting Be it so we refer the Judgment of it to the Church of God 4. It is expressed by flying for Refuge
in as much because Only we must say that here is a reason given Why Death passed on all Men in as much as all have sinned that is in that sin whereby death entred into the World It is true Death by vertue of the original constitution of the Law is due unto every sin when ever it is committed But the present inquiry is how Death passed at once on all Men how they came liable and obnoxious unto it upon its first entrance by the actual sin of Adam which cannot be by their own actual sin Yea the Apostle in the next Verses affirms That death passed on them also who never sinned actually or as Adam did whose sin was actual And if the actual sins of Men in imitation of Adams sin were intended then should Men be made liable to Death before they had sinned For Death upon its first entrance into the World passed on all Men before any one Man had actually sinned but Adam only But that Men should be liable unto Death which is nothing but the punishment of sin when they have not sinned is an open contradiction For although God by his sovereign Power might inflict Death on an innocent Creature yet that an innocent Creature should be guilty of death is impossible For to be guilty of death is to have sinned Wherefore this expression In as much as all have sinned expressing the desert and guilt of death then when sin and death first entred into the World no sin can be intended in it but the sin of Adam and our interest therein Eramus enim omnes ille unus homo And this can be no otherwise but by the imputation of the guilt of that sin unto us For the act of Adam not being ours inherently and subjectively we cannot be concerned in its Effect but by the imputation of its guilt For the communication of that unto us which is not inherent in us is that which we intend by imputation This is the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the intended collation which I have insisted the longer on because the Apostle lays in it the foundation of all that he afterwards infers and asserts in in the whole comparison And here some say there is an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in his discourse that is he layeth down the Proposition on the part of Adam but doth not shew what answereth to it on the contrary in Christ. And Origen gives the reason of the silence of the Apostle herein namely Lest what is to be said therein should be abused by any unto sloth and negligence For whereas he says 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as which is a note of similitude By one Man sin entred into the World and Death by sin so the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or reddition should be So by one Righteousness entred into the World and Life by Righteousness This he acknowledgeth to be the genuine filling up of the comparison but was not expressed by the Apostle Lest Men should abuse it unto negligence or security supposing that to be done already which should be done afterwards But as this plainly contradicts and everts most of what he further asserts in the Exposition of the place so the Apostle concealed not any Truth upon such considerations And as he plainly expresseth that which is here intimated Ver. 19. So he shews how foolish and wicked any such imaginations are as suppose that any countenance is given hereby unto any to indulge themselves in their sins Some grant therefore that the Apostle doth conceal the Expression of what is ascribed unto Christ in opposition unto what he had affirmed of Adam and his sin unto Ver. 19. But the truth is it is sufficiently included in the close of Ver. 14. where he affirms of Adam that in those things whereof he treats He was the Figure of him that was to come For the way and manner whereby he introduced Righteousness and Life and communicated them unto Men answered the way and manner whereby Adam introduced sin and death which passed on all the World Adam being the Figure of Christ look how it was with him with respect unto his Natural Posterity as unto sin and death so it is with the Lord Christ the Second Adam and his Spiritual Posterity with respect unto Righteousness and Life Hence we argue If the actual sin of Adam was so imputed unto all his posterity as to be accounted their own sin unto condemnation then is the actual obedience of Christ the Second Adam imputed unto all his Spiritual Seed that is unto all Believers unto Justification I shall not here further press this Argument because the ground of it will occur unto us afterwards The two next Verses containing an Objection and an Answer returned unto them wherein we have no immediate concernment I shall pass by Vers. 15 16. The Apostle proceeds to explain his Comparison in those things wherein there is a dissimilitude between the comparates But not as the offence so is the free gift for if through the offence of one many be dead much more the Grace of God and the gift by Grace by one Man Jesus Christ hath abounded unto many The opposition is between 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 on the one hand and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 on the other between which a dissimilitude is asserted not as unto their opposite effects of Death and Life but only as unto the degrees of their efficacy with respect unto those effects 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the offence the fall the sin the transgression that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the disobedience of one Ver. 19. Hence the first sin of Adam is generally called the fall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That which is opposed hereunto is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Donum Donum gratuitum Beneficium id quod Deus gratificatur that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as it is immediately explained The grace of God and the free gift by grace through Jesus Christ. Wherefore although this word in the next verse doth precisely signifie the Righteousness of Christ yet here it comprehends all the causes of our Justification in opposition unto the fall of Adam and the entrance of sin thereby The consequent and effect 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the offence the fall is that many be dead No more is here intended by many but only that the effects of that one offence were not confined unto one And if we inquire who or how many those many are the Apostle tells us that they are all Men universally that is all the posterity of Adam By this one offence because they all sinned therein they are all dead that is rendered obnoxious and liable unto death as the punishment due unto that one offence And hence also it appears how vain it is to wrest those words of Ver. 12. In as much as all have sinned unto any other sin but the first sin in Adam seeing it is given as the reason why death passed on them it being here plainly affirmed That they
are dead or that death passed on them by that one offence The efficacy 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the free gift opposed hereunto is expressed as that which abounded much more Besides the thing it self asserted which is plain and evident the Apostle seems to me to argue the equity of our Justification by Grace through the obedience of Christ by comparing it with the condemnation that befel us by the sin and disobedience of Adam For if it were just meet and equal that all Men should be made subject unto condemnation for the sin of Adam it is much more so that those who believe should be justified by the obedience of Christ through the grace and free donation of God But wherein in particular the gift by Grace abounded unto many above the efficacy of the fall to condemn he declares afterwards And that whereby we are freed from condemnation more eminently then we are made obnoxious unto it by the fall and sin of Adam by that alone we are justified before God But this is by the grace of God and the gift by Grace through Jesus Christ alone which we plead for Ver. 16. Another difference between the comparates is expressed or rather the instance is given in particular of the dissimilitude asserted in general before And not as it was by one that sinned so is the gift for the judgment was by one to condemnation but the free gift is of many offences unto Justification 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 By one that sinned is the same with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by one sin one offence the one sin of that one Man 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 we render judgment Most Interpreters do it by reatus guilt or crimen which is derived from it So 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Judicium is used in the Hebrew for guilt 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Jere. 26.11 The judgment of death is to this Man this Man is guilty of death hath deserved to die First therefore there was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the sin the fall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of one Man that sinned it was his actual sin alone Thence followed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 reatus guilt this was common unto all In and by that one sin guilt came upon all And the end hereof that which it rendered Men obnoxious unto is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 condemnation guilt unto condemnation and this guilt unto condemnation which came upon all was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of one person or sin This is the order of things on the part of Adam 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the one sin 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the guilt that thereon insued unto all 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the condemnation which that guilt deserved And their Antitheta or Opposites in the Second Adam are 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the free donation of God 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the gift of Grace it self or the Righteousness of Christ. 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Justification of Life But yet though the Apostle doth thus distinguish these things to illustrate his comparison and opposition yet that which he intends by them all is the Righteousness and Obedience of Christ as he declares Ver. 18 19. This in the matter of our Justification he 1. calleth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with respect unto the free gratuitous grant of it by Grace of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with respect unto us who receive it A free gift it is unto us and 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with respect unto its effect of making us righteous Whereas therefore by the sin of Adam imputed unto them guilt came on all men unto condemnation we must inquire wherein the free gift was otherwise Not as by one that sinned so was the gift And it was so in two things For 1. Condemnation came upon all by one offence But being under the guilt of that one offence we contract the guilt of many more innumerable Wherefore if the free gift had respect only unto that one offence and intended it self no further we could not be delivered wherefore it is said to be of many offences that is of all our sins and trespasses whatever 2. Adam and all his posterity in him were in a state of acceptation with God and placed in a way of obtaining eternal life and blessedness wherein God himself would have been their reward In this estate by the entrance of sin they lost the favor of God and incurred the guilt of death or condemnation for they are the same But they lost not an immediate right and title unto life and blessedness For this they had not nor could have before the course of obedience prescribed unto them was accomplished That therefore which came upon all by the one offence was the loss of Gods favor in the approbation of their present state and the judgment or guilt of death and condemnation But an immediate right unto eternal life by that one sin was not lost The free gift is not so For as by it we are freed not only from one sin but from all our sins so also by it we have a right and title unto eternal life For therein Grace reigns through Righteousness unto eternal life Ver. 22. The same truth is further explained and confirmed Ver. 17. For if by one Mans offence death reigned by one much more they which receive abundance of Grace and of the gift of Righteousness shall reign in life by one Jesus Christ. The design of the Apostle having been sufficiently manifested in our observations on the former Verses I shall from this only observe those things which more immediately concern our present subject And 1. it is worth observation with what variety of expressions the Apostle sets forth the Grace of God in the Justification of Believers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Nothing is omitted that may any way express the freedom sufficiency and efficacy of Grace unto that end And although these terms seem some of them to be coincident in their signification and to be used by him promiscuously yet do they every one include something that is peculiar and all of them set forth the whole work of Grace 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 seems to me to be used in this Argument for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is the foundation of a cause in tryal the matter pleaded whereon the person tried is to be acquitted and justified And this is the Righteousness of Christ of one 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or a free donation is exclusive of all desert and conditions on our part who do receive it And it is that whereby we are freed from condemnation and have a right unto the Justification of life 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is the free grace and favor of God which is the original or efficient cause of our Justification as was declared Chap. 3.24 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hath been explained before 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the abundance of
come upon them unto condemnation no otherwise can they be rendered obnoxious unto death and judgment on the account thereof For we have evinced that by death and condemnation in this disputation of the Apostle the whole punishment due unto sin is intended This therefore is plain and evident on that hand In answer hereunto the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of one as to the causality of Justification is opposed unto the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the other as unto its causality unto or of condemnation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 By the Righteousness of one That is the Righteousness that is pleadable 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 unto Justification For that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Righteousness pleaded for Justification By this say our Translators the free gift came upon all repeating 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from the foregoing Verse as they had done 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 before on the other hand The Syriack Translation renders the words without the aid of any supplement Therefore as by the sin of one condemnation was unto all men so by the Righteousness of one Justification unto life shall be unto all Men. And the sense of the words is so made plain without the supply of any other word into the Text. But whereas in the original the words are not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and so in the later clause somewhat from his own foregoing words is to be supplied to answer the intention of the Apostle And this is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 gratiosa donatio the free grant of Righteousness or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the free gift of Righteousness unto Justification The Righteousness of one Christ Jesus is freely granted unto all Believers to the Justification of life For the all Men here mentioned are described by and limited unto them that receive the abundance of Grace and the gift of Righteousness by Christ Ver. 17. Some vainly pretend from hence a general grant of righteousness and life unto all men whereof the greatest part are never made partakers then which nothing can be more opposite nor contradictory unto the Apostles design Men are not made guilty of condemnation from the Sin of Adam by such a Divine constitution as that they may or on some conditions may not be obnoxious thereunto Every one so soon as he actually exists and by vertue thereof is a descendant from the first Adam is actually in his own person liable thereunto and the wrath of God abideth on him And no more are intended on the other side but those only who by their relation through Faith unto the Lord Christ the second Adam are actually interessed in the Justification of life Neither is the controversie about the universality of Redemption by the Death of Christ herein concerned For those by whom it is asserted do not affirm that it is thence necessary that the free gift unto the Justification of life should come on all for that they know it doth not do And of a provision of Righteousness and life for men in case they do believe although it be true yet nothing is spoken in this place Only the certain Justificatin of them that believe and the way of it is declared Nor will the Analogy of the Comparison here insisted on admit of any such interpretation For the all on the one hand are all and only those who derive their being from Adam by natural propagation If any man might be supposed not to do so he would not be concerned in his Sin or Fall And so really it was with the man Christ Jesus And those on the other hand are only those who derive a spiritual life from Christ. Suppose a man not to do so and he is no way interessed in the Righteousness of the one unto the Justification of life Our Argument from the words is this As the Sin of one that came on all unto condemnation was the Sin of the first Adam imputed unto them so the Righteousness of the one unto the Justification of life that comes on all Believers is the Righteousness of Christ imputed unto them And what can be more clearly affirmed or more evidently confirmed than this is by the Apostle I know not Yet is it more plainly expressed v. 19. For as by one mans Disobedience many were made Sinners so by the Obedience of one shall many be made Righteous This is well explained by Cyrillus Alexandrinus in Joan. Lib. 11. Cap. 25. Quemadmodum praevaricatione primi hominis ut in primitiis generis nostri morti addicti fuimus eodem modo per obedientiam justitiam Christi in quantum seipsum legi subjecit quamvis legis author esset benedictio vivificatio quae per spiritum est ad totam nostram penetravit naturam And by Leo. Epist. 12. ad Juvenalem Vt autem reparet omnium vitam recepit omnium causam ut sicut per unius reatum omnes facti fuerunt peccatores ita per unius innocentiam omnes fierent innocentes inde in homines manaret justitia ubi est humana suscepta natura That which he before called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he now expresseth by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Disobedience and Obedience The 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of Adam or his Disobedience was his actual transgression of the Law of God Hereby saith the Apostle many were made Sinners Sinners in such a sense as to be obnoxious unto Death and Condemnation For liable unto Death they could not be made unless they were first made Sinners or guilty And this they could not be but that they are esteemed to have sinned in him whereon the guilt of his Sin was imputed unto them This therefore he affirms namely that the actual sin of Adam was so the sin of all men as that they were made sinners thereby obnoxious unto Death and Condemnation That which he opposeth hereunto is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Obedience of one that is of Jesus Christ. And this was the Actual Obedience that he yielded unto the whole Law of God For as the Disobedience of Adam was his actual Transgression of the whole Law so the Obedience of Christ was his actual accomplishment or fulfilling of the whole Law This the Antithesis doth require Hereby many are made Righteous How By the Imputation of that Obedience unto them For so and no otherwise are men made Sinners by the Imputation of the Disobedience of Adam And this is that which gives us a right and title unto eternal life as the Apostle declares vers 21. That as Sin reigned unto death so might Grace reign through Righteousness unto eternal life This Righteousness is no other but the Obedience of one that is of Christ as it is called vers 18. And it is said to come upon us that is to be imputed unto us For blessed is the man unto whom God imputeth Righteousness And hereby we have not only deliverance from
that Death and Condemnation whereunto we were liable by the Sin of Adam but the Pardon of many Offences that is of all our Personal Sins and a right unto life eternal through the Grace of God for we are justified freely by his Grace through the Redemption that is in Christ Jesus And these things are thus plainly and fully delivered by the Apostle unto whose sense and expressions also so far as may be it is our Duty to accommodate ours What is offered in opposition hereunto is so made up of Exceptions and Evasions perplexed Disputes and leadeth us so far off from the plain words of the Scripture that the Conscience of a convinced Sinner knows not what to fix upon to give it rest and saisfaction nor what it is that is to be believed unto Justification Piscator in his Scholia on this Chapter and elsewhere insisteth much on a specious Argument against the Imputation of the Obedience of Christ unto our Justification But it proceedeth evidently on an open mistake and false supposition as well as it is contradictory unto the plain words of the Text. It is true which he observes and proves that our Redemption Reconciliation Pardon of Sin and Justifiation are often ascribed unto the Death and Blood of Christ in a signal manner The reasons of it have partly been intimated before and a further account of them shall be given immediately But it doth not thence follow that the Obedience of his life wherein he fulfilled the whole Law being made under it for us is excluded from any causality therein or is not imputed unto us But in opposition thereunto he thus argueth Si obedientia vitae Christi nobis ad justitiam imputaretur non fuit opus Christum pro nobis mori mori enim necesse fuit pro nobis injustis 1 Pet. 3.18 Quod si ergo justi effecti sumus per vitam illius causa nulla relicta fuit cur pro nobis moreretur quia justitia Dei non patitur ut puniat justos At punivit nos in Christo seu quod idem valet punivit Christum pro nobis loco nostri posteaquam ille sancte vixisset ut certum est è Scriptura Ergo non sumus justi effecti per sanctam vitam Christi Item Christus mortuus est ut justitiam illam Dei nobis acquireret 2 Cor. 5.21 Non igitur illam acquisiverat ante mortem But this whole Argument I say proceeds upon an evident mistake For it supposeth such an order of things as that the Obedience of Christ or his Righteousness in fulfilling the Law is first imputed unto us and then the Righteousness of his death is afterwards to take place or to be imputed unto us which on that supposition he says would be of no use But no such order or Divine constitution is pleaded or pretended in our Justification It is true the life of Christ and his Obedience unto the Law did precede his Sufferings and undergoing the curse thereof neither could it otherwise be For this order of these things between themselves was made necessary from the Law of Nature But it doth not thence follow that it must be observed in the Imputation or Application of them unto us For this is an effect of Soveraign Wisdom and Grace not respecting the natural order of Christs Obedience and Suffering but the moral order of the things whereunto they are appointed And although we need not assert nor do I so do different acts of the Imputation of the Obedience of Christ unto the Justification of life or a right and title unto life eternal and of the suffering of Christ unto the pardon of our Sins and freedom from condemnation but by both we have both according unto the Ordinance of God that Christ may be all in all Yet as unto the effects themselves in the Method of Gods bringing Sinners unto the Justification of life the application of the Death of Christ unto them unto the pardon of Sin and freedom from Condemnation is in order of Nature and in the exercise of Faith antecedent unto the application of his Obedience unto us for a right and title unto life eternal The state of the person to be justified is a state of Sin and wrath wherein he is liable unto Death and Condemnation This is that which a convinced Sinner is sensible of and which alone in the first place he seeks for deliverance from What shall we do to be saved This in the first place is presented unto him in the Doctrine and Promise of the Gospel which is the Rule and Instrument of its application And this is the death of Christ. Without this no actual Righteousness imputed unto him not the Obedience of Christ himself will give him relief For he is sensible that he hath sinned and thereby come short of the glory of God and under the Sentence condemnatory of the Law Until he receives a deliverance from hence it to no purpose to propose that unto him which should give him right unto life eternal But upon a supposition hereof he is no less concern'd in what shall yet further give him title thereunto that he may reign in life through Righteousness Herein I say in its order Conscience is no less concern'd than in deliverance from Condemnation And this order is expressed in the declaration of the Fruit and Effects of the Mediation of Christ. Dan. 9.24 To make reconciliation for iniquity and to bring in everlasting Righteousness Neither is there any force in the Objection against it that actually the Obedience of Christ did precede his Suffering For the Method of their application is not prescribed thereby And the state of Sinners to be justified with the nature of their Justification requires it should be otherwise as God also hath ordained But because the Obedience and Sufferings of Christ were concomitant from first to last both equally belonging unto his state of Exinanition and cannot in any act or instance be separated but only in notion or imagination seeing he suffered in all his Obedience and obeyed in all his Suffering Heb. 5.8 And neither part of our Justification in freedom from Condemnation and right unto life eternal can be supposed to be or exist without the other according unto the Ordinance and constitution of God the whole effect is jointly to be ascribed unto the whole Mediation of Christ so far as he acted towards God in our behalf wherein he fulfilled the whole Law both as to the penalty exacted of Sinners and the Righteousness it requires unto life as an eternl reward And there are many reasons why our Justification is in the Scripture by the way of Eminency ascribed unto the death and blood-shedding of Christ. For 1. The Grace and Love of God the principal efficient cause of our Justification are therein made most eminent and conspicuous For this is most frequently in the Scripture proposed unto us as the highest instance and undeniable demonstration of Divine Love
and Grace And this is that which principally we are to consider in our Justification the glory of them being the end of God therein He made us accepted in the Beloved to the praise of the glory of his Grace Ephes. 1.6 Wherefore this being the fountain spring and sole cause both of the Obedience of Christ and of the Imputation thereof unto us with the pardon of Sin and Righteousness thereby it is every where in the Scripture proposed as the prime object of our Faith in our Justification and opposed directly unto all our own Works whatever The whole of Gods design herein is that Grace may reign through Righteousness unto eternal life Whereas therefore this is made most evident and conspicuous in the Death of Christ our Justification is in a peculiar manner assigned thereunto 2. The love of Christ himself and his Grace are peculiarly exalted in our Justification that all men may honour the Son even as they honour the Father Frequently are they expressed unto this purpose 2 Cor. 8.9 Gal. 2.20 Phil. 3.6 7. Rev. 1.5 6. And those also are most eminently exalted in his death so as that all the effects and fruits of them are ascribed thereunto in a peculiar manner As nothing is more ordinary than among many things that concur to the same effect to ascribe it unto that which is most eminent among them especially if it cannot be conceived as separated from the rest 3. This is the clearest Testimony that what the Lord Christ did and suffered was for us and not for himself For without the consideration hereof all the Obedience which he yielded unto the Law might be looked on as due only on his own account and himself to have been such a Saviour as the Socinians imagine who should do all with us from God and nothing with God for us But the suffering of the curse of the Law by him who was not only an innocent man but also the Son of God openly testifies that what he did and suffered was for us and not for himself It is no wonder therefore if our Faith as unto Justification be in the first place and principally directed unto his Death and Blood-shedding 4. All the Obedience of Christ had still respect unto the Sacrifice of himself which was to ensue wherein it received its accomplishment and whereon its efficacy unto our Justification did depend For as no Imputation of actual Obedience would justifie Sinners from the condemnation that was passed on them for the Sin of Adam so although the Obedience of Christ was not a meer preparation or qualification of his person for his Suffering yet its efficacy unto our Justification did depend on his Suffering that was to ensue when his Soul was made an offering for Sin 5. As was before observed Reconciliation and the Pardon of Sin through the Blood of Christ do directly in the first place respect our relief from the state and condition whereinto we were cast by the Sin of Adam in the loss of the favour of God and liableness unto Death this therefore is that which principally and in the first place a lost convinced Sinner such as Christ calls unto himself doth look after And therefore Justification is eminently and frequently proposed as the effect of the Bloodshedding and Death of Christ which are the direct cause of our Reconciliation and Pardon of Sin But yet from none of these considerations doth it follow that the Obedience of the one man Christ Jesus is not imputed unto us whereby Grace might reign through Righteousness unto eternal life The same Truth is fully asserted and confirmed Chap. 8. v. 1 2 3 4. But this place hath been of late so explained and so vindicated by another in his learned and Judicious Exposition of it namely Dr. Jacombe as that nothing remains of weight to be added unto what hath been pleaded and argued by him Part. 1. vers 4. pag. 587. and onwards And indeed the answers which he subjoyns to the Arguments whereby he confirms the Truth to the most usual and important objections against the Imputation of the Righteousness of Christ are sufficient to give just Satisfaction unto the minds of unprejudiced unengaged persons I shall therefore pass over this Testimony as that which hath been so lately pleaded and vindicated and not press the same things it may be as is not unusual unto their disadvantage Chap. 10. Vers. 3 4. For they the Jews who had a zeal for God but not according to knowledg being ignorant of Gods Righteousness and going about to establish their own Righteousness have not submitted themselves unto the Righteousness of God For Christ is the end of the Law for Righteousness unto every one that believeth What is here determined the Apostle enters upon the Proposition and declaration of Chap. 9. vers 30. And because what he had to propose was somewhat strange and unsuited unto the common apprehensions of men he introduceth it with that prefatory Interrogation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which he useth on the like occasions Chap. 3.5 Chap. 6.1 Chap. 7.7 Chap. 9.14 What shall we then say that is is there in this matter unrighteousness with God as vers 14. or what shall we say unto these things or this is that which is to be said herein That which hereon he asserts is that the Gentiles which followed not after Righteousness have attained unto Righteousness even the Righteousness which is of Faith But Israel which followed after the Law of Righteousness hath not attained unto the Law of Righteousness that is unto Righteousness it self before God Nothing seems to be more contrary unto reason than what is here made manifest by the event The Gentiles who lived in Sin and Pleasures not once endeavouring to attain unto any Righteousness before God yet attained unto it upon the Preaching of the Gospel Israel on the other hand which followed after Righteousness diligently in all the Works of the Law and Duties of Obedience unto God thereby came short of it attained not unto it All Preparations all Dispositions all merit as unto Righteousness and Justification are excluded from the Gentiles For in all of them there is more or less a following after Righteousness which is denied of them all Only by Faith in him who justifieth the ungodly they attain Righteousness or they attained the Righteousness of Faith For to attain Righteousness by Faith and to attain the Righteousness which is of Faith are the same Wherefore all things that are comprized any way in following after Righteousness such as are all our Duties and Works are excluded from any influence into our Justification And this is expressed to declare the Sovereignty and freedom of the Grace of God herein Namely that we are justified freely by his Grace and that on our part all boasting is excluded Let men pretend what they will and dispute what they please those who attain unto Righteousness and Justification before God when they follow not after Righteousness they
have made some undue Assumptions on his own behalf The Question was now reduced unto this on what Grounds he might or could be justified in the sight of God To prepare his mind unto a right Judgement in this case God manifests his Glory unto him and instructs him in the Greatness of His Majesty and Power And this he doth by a multiplication of Instances because under our Temptations we are very slow in admitting right conceptions of God Here the Holy man quickly acknowledged that the state of the case was utterly altered All his former pleas of Faith Hope and Trust in God of sincerity in Obedience which with so much earnestness he before insisted on are now quite laid aside He saw well enough that they were not pleadable at the Tribunal before which he now appeared so that God should enter into Judgment with him thereon with respect unto his Justification Wherefore in the deepest self-abasement and abhorrency he betakes himself unto Soveraign Grace and Mercy For then Job answered the Lord and said behold I am vile what shall I answer thee I will lay mine hand upon my mouth once have I spoken but I will not answer yea twice but I will proceed no farther Job 40.3 4 5 And again Hear I beseech thee and I will speak I will demand of thee and declare thou unto me I have heard of thee by the hearing of the Ear but now mine Eye seeth thee wherefore I abhor my self and repent in dust and ashes chap. 42.4 5 6. Let any men place themselves in the Condition wherein now Job was in the immediate presence of God Let them attend unto what he really speaks unto them in his word namely what they will answer unto the Charge that he hath against them and what will be their best plea before his Tribunal that they may be Justified I do not believe that any man living hath more encouraging Grounds to plead for an interest in his own Faith and Obedience in his Justification before God then Job had although I suppose he had not so much skill to manage a plea to that purpose with Scholastick notions and distinctions as the Jesuits have But however we may be harnessed with subtile Arguments and Solutions I fear it will not be safe for us to adventure farther upon God then he durst to do There was of old a Direction for the visitation of the Sick composed as they say by Anselm and published by Casparus Vlenhergius which expresseth a better sense of these things then some seem to be convinced of Credisne te non posse salvari nisi per mortem Christi Respondet infirmus Etiam tum dicit illi Age Ergo dum superest in te anima in hac sola morte fiduciam tuam constitue in nulla alia re fiduciam habe huic morti te totum committe hac sola te totum contege totum immisce te in hac morte in hac morte totum te involve Et si Dominus te voluerit judicare Dic Domine mortem Domini nostri Jesu Christi objicio inter me tuum Judicium aliter tecum non contendo Et si tibi dixerit quia peccator es dic mortem Domini nostri Jesu Christi pono inter me peccata mea Si dixerit tibi quod meruisti damnationem dic Domine mortem Domini nostri Jesu Christi obtendo inter te mala merita mea ipsiusque merita offero pro merito quod ego debuissem habere nec habeo si dixerit quod tibi est iratus dic Domine mortem Domini Jesu Christi oppono inter me iram tuam That is Dost thou believe that thou canst not be saved but by the death of Christ The sick man answereth yes then let it be said unto him Go to then and whilst thy Soul abideth in thee put all thy confidence in this death alone place thy trust in no other thing commit thy self wholly to this Death cover thy self wholly with this alone cast thy self wholly on this Death wrap thy self wholly in this Death And if God would judge thee say Lord I place the Death of our Lord Jesus Christ between me and thy judgment and otherwise I will not contend or enter into Judgment with thee And if he shall say unto thee that thou art a sinner say I place the Death of our Lord Jesus Christ between me and my sins If he shall say unto thee that thou hast deserved damnation say Lord I put the Death of our Lord Jesus Christ between thee and all my sins and I offer his merits for my own which I should have and have not If he say that he is angry with thee say Lord I place the Death of our Lord Jesus Christ between me and thy Anger Those who gave these Directions seem to have been sensible of what it is to appear before the Tribunal of God and how unsafe it will be for us there to insist on any thing in our selves Hence are the words of the same Anselm in his Meditations Conscientia mea meruit damnationem penitentia mea non sufficit ad satisfactionem sed certum est quod misericordia tua superat omnem offensionem My Conscience hath deserved damnation and my Repentance is not sufficient for satisfaction but most certain it is that thy mercy aboundeth above all offence And this seems to me a better Direction then those more lately given by some of the Roman Church Such is the prayer suggested unto a sick man by Johan Polandus lib. Methodus in adjuvandis morientibus Domine Jesu conjunge obsecro obsequium meum cum omnibus quae tu egisti passus es ex tam perfecta Charitate Obedientia Et cum divitiis satisfactionum meritorum Dilectionis Patri aeterno illud offerre digneris Or that of a greater Author Antidot Animae fol. 17. Tu hinc o rosea Martyrum turba offer pro me nunc in hora mortis meae merita fidelitatum constantiae pretiosi sanguinis cum sanguine Agni immaculati pro omnium salute effust Hierom long before Anselm spake to the same purpose Cum dies Judicij aut dormitionis advenerit omnes manus dissolventur quibus dicitur in alio loco confortamini manus dissolutae dissolventur auntem manus quia nullum opus dignum Dei justitia reperiatur non justificabitur in conspectu ejus omnis vivens unde Propheta dicit in Psalmo si iniquitates attendas Domine quis sustinebit lib. 6. in Isa. in cap. 13. v. 6 7. When the day of Judgement or of Death shall come all hands will be dissolved that is faint or fall down unto which it is said in another place be strengthened ye hands that hang down But all hands shall be melted down that is all mens strength and confidence shall fail them because no works shall be found which can answer the Righteousness of God for no flesh shall be
use of and pressed at large by one among our selves but improved also by a dangerous comparison between the Writings of the Evangelists and the other Writings of the New Testament For to enforce this Argument that the Histories of the Gospel wherein the Sermons of Christ are recorded do make no mention of the Imputation of the Righteousness of Christ as in his judgement they do not nor of his Satisfaction or Merit or Expiation of sin or of Redemption by his Death as they do not in the judgment of Socinus it is added by him that for his part he is apt to admire our Saviours Sermons who was the Author of our Religion before the Writings of the Apostles though inspired men Whereunto many dangerous insinuations and reflections on the Writings of St. Paul contrary to the Faith and Sense of the Church in all Ages are subjoined S. pag. 240 241. But this Boldness is not only unwarrantable but to be abhorred What place of Scripture what Ecclesiastical Tradition what single president of any one sober Christian Writer what Theological Reason will countenance a man in making the comparison mentioned and so determining thereon such juvenile boldness such want of a due apprehension and understanding of the Nature of divine Inspirations with the order and design of the writing of the New Testament which are the springs of this precipitate censure ought to be reflected on At present to remove this pretence out of our way it may be observed 1. That what the Lord Christ taught his Disciples in his Personal Ministry on the Earth was suited unto that Oeconomy of the Church which was antecedent unto his Death and Resurrection Nothing did he with-hold from them that was needful to their Faith Obedience and Consolation in that state Many things he instructed them in out of the Scripture many new Revelations he made unto them and many times did he occasionally instruct and rectifie their judgements Howbeit he made no clear distinct Revelation of those sacred mysteries unto them which are peculiar unto the Faith of the New Testament nor were to be distinctly apprehended before his Death and Resurrection 2. What the Lord Christ revealed afterwards by his Spirit unto the Apostles was no less immediately from himself then was the Truth which he spoke unto them with his own mouth in the days of his flesh An Apprehension to the contrary is destructive of Christian Religion The Epistles of the Apostles are no less Christs Sermons then that which he delivered on the Mount Wherefore 3. Neither in the things themselves nor in the way of their Delivery or Revelation is there any Advantage of the one sort of Writings above the other The things written in the Epistles proceed from the same Wisdom the same Grace the same Love with the things which he spoke with his own mouth in the days of his flesh and are of the same divine veracity Authority and Efficacy The Revelation which he made by his Spirit is no less divine and immediate from himself then what he spoke unto his Disciples on the Earth To distinguish between these things on any of these accounts is intolerable folly 4. The Writings of the Evangelists do not contain the whole of all the Instructions which the Lord Christ gave unto his Disciples personally on the Earth For he was seen of them after his Resurrection forty days and spoke with them of the things pertaining to the Kingdom of God Act. 1.3 And yet nothing hereof is recorded in their writings but only some few occasional speeches Nor had he given before unto them a clear and distinct understanding of those things which were delivered concerning his Death and Resurrection in the Old Testament as is plainly declared Luke 24.25 26 27. For it was not necessary for them in that state wherein they were Wherefore 5. As to the extent of Divine Revelations objectively those which he granted by his Spirit unto his Apostles after his Ascension were beyond those which he Personally taught them so far as they are recorded in the Writings of the Evangelists For he told them plainly not long before his death that he had many things to say unto them which then they could not bear Joh. 16.12 And for the knowledge of those things he refers them to the coming of the Spirit to make Revelation of them from himself in the next words Howbeit when he the Spirit of Truth is come he will guide you into all Truth for he shall not speak of himself but whatsoever he shall hear that shall he speak and he will shew you things to come He shall glorifie me for he shall receive of mine and shew it unto you ver 13 14. And on this account he had told them before that it was expedient for them that he should go away that the Holy Spirit might come unto them whom he would send from the Father ver 7. Hereunto he referred the full and clear manifestation of the mysteries of the Gospel So false as well as dangerous and scandalous are those insinuations of Socinus and his followers Secondly The Writings of the Evangelists are full unto their proper Ends and Purposes These were to record the Genealogy Conception Birth Acts Miracles and Teachings of our Saviour so far as to evince him to be the true only promised Messias So he testifieth who wrote the last of them Many other signs truly did Jesus which are not written in this Book But these are written that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ the Son of God Joh. 20.30 31. Unto this End every thing is recorded by them that is needful unto the ingenerating and establishment of Faith Upon this confirmation all things declared in the Old Testament concerning him all that was taught in Types and Sacrifices became the object of Faith in that sense wherein they were interpreted in the Accomplishment And that in them this Doctrine was before revealed shall be proved afterwards It is therefore no wonder if some things and those of the highest importance should be declared more fully in other Writings of the New Testament then they are in those of the Evangelists Thirdly The Pretence it self is wholly false For there are as many pregnant Testimonies given unto this Truth in one alone of the Evangelists as in any other Book of the New Testament namely in the Book of John I shall refer to some of them which will be pleaded in their proper place chap. 1.12 17 19. chap. 3.14 15 16 17 18 36. chap. 5.24 But we may pass this by as one of those Inventions concerning which Socinus boasts in his Epistle to Michael Vajoditus that his Writings were esteemed by many for the singularity of the things asserted in them Fourthly The Difference that hath been among Protestant Writers about this Doctrine is pleaded in the prejudice of it Osiander in the entrance of the Reformation fell into a vain imagination that we were Justified or made Righteous with the Essential
there is no shadow nor Resemblance in any other works of God either of Creation Providence or Grace which his nature was filled withal Full of Grace and Truth And all his personal Glory Power Authority and Majesty as Mediator in his Exaltation at the right hand of God which is expressive of them all doth belong hereunto These things were peculiar unto him and all of them effects of his eternal Predestination But 2 He was not thus predestinated absolutely but also with respect unto that Grace and Glory which in him and by him was to be communicated unto the Church And he was so 1. As the Pattern and Exemplary cause of our Predestination For we are predestinated to be conformed unto the Image of the Son of God that he might be the first born among many Brethren Rom. 8.29 Hence he shall even change our vile Body that it may be fashioned like unto his Glorious Body Phil. 3.21 That when he appears we may be every way like him 1 Joh. 3.2 2. As the means and cause of Communicating all Grace and Glory unto us For we are chosen in him before the foundation of the World that we should be Holy and predestinated unto the Adoption of Children by him Ephes. 1.3 4 5. He was designed as the only procuring cause of all spiritual Blessings in Heavenly things unto those who are chosen in him Wherefore 3. He was thus fore-ordained as the Head of the Church it being the design of God to gather all things into an Head in him Ephes. 1.10 4. All the Elect of God were in his eternal purpose and design and in the everlasting Covenant between the Father and the Son committed unto him to be delivered from Sin the Law and Death and to be brought into the enjoyment of God Thine they were and thou gavest them unto me Joh. 17.6 Hence was that love of his unto them wherewith he loved them and gave himself for them antecedently unto any good or love in them Ephes. 5.25 26. Gal. 2.20 Rev. 1.5 6. 5. In the prosecution of this design of God and in the accomplishment of the everlasting Covenant in the fulness of Time he took upon him our Nature or took it into personal subsistence with himself The especial Relation that ensued hereon between him and the Elect Children the Apostle declares at large Heb. 2.10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17. And I refer the Reader unto our exposition of that place 6. On these Foundations he undertook to be the Surety of the new Covenant Heb. 7.22 Jesus was made a Surety of a better Testament This alone of all the fundamental considerations of the Imputation of our sins unto Christ I shall insist upon on purpose to obviate or remove some mistakes about the Nature of his Suretiship and the respect of it unto the Covenant whereof he was the Surety And I shall borrow what I shall offer hereon from our exposition of this passage of the Apostle on the seventh Chapter of this Epistle not yet published with very little variation from what I have discoursed on that occasion without the least respect unto or prospect of any treating on our present subject The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is no where found in the Scripture but in this place only But the advantage which some would make from thence namely that it being but one place wherein the Lord Christ is called a Surety it is not of much force or much to be insisted on is both unreasonable and absurd For 1 this one place is of Divine Revelation and therefore is of the same Authority with twenty Testimonies unto the same purpose One Divine Testimony makes our Faith no less necessary nor doth one less secure it from being deceived then an hundred 2. The signification of the word is known from the use of it and what it signifies among men that no question can be made of its sense and importance though it be but once used And this on any occasion removes the Difficulty and Danger 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 3 The thing it self intended is so fully declared by the Apostle in this place and so plentifully taught in other places of the Scripture as that the single use of this word may add light but can be no prejudice unto it Something may be spoken unto the signification of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which will give light into the thing intended by it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is Vola manus the palm of the hand Thence is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to deliver into the hand 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is of the same signification Hence being a Surety is interpreted by striking the hand Prov. 6.1 My Son if thou be Surety for thy friend if thou hast stricken thy hand with a Stranger So it answers the Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which the Lxx render 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Prov. 6.1 Chap. 17.18 Chap. 20.19 and by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Nehem. 5.3 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Originally signifies to mingle or a mixture of any things or persons And thence from the conjunction and mixture that is between a Surety and him for whom he is a Surety whereby they coalesce into one person as unto the ends of that Suretiship it is used for a Surety or to give Surety And he that was or did 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Surety or become a Surety was to answer for him for whom he was so whatsoever befell him So is it described Gen. 43.9 in the words of Judah unto his Father Jacob concerning Benjamin 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I will be Surety for him of my hand shalt thou require him In undertaking to be Surety for him as unto his safety and preservation he engageth himself to answer for all that should befall him for so he adds if I bring him not unto the and set him before the let me be guilty for ever And on this ground he entreats Joseph that he might be a Servant and a Bondman in his stead that he might go free and return unto his Father Gen. 44.32 33. This is required unto such a Surety that he undergo and answer all that he for whom he is a Surety is liable unto whether in things criminal or civil so far as the Suretiship doth extend A Surety is an undertaker for another or others who thereon is justly and legally to answer what is due to them or from them Nor is the Word otherwise used See Job 17.3 Prov. 6.1 Chap. 11.15 Chap. 17.11 Chap. 20.16 Chap. 27.13 So Paul became a Surety unto Philemon for Onesimus ver 17. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is Sponsio Expromissio Fidejussio an undertaking or giving Security for any thing or Person unto another whereon an Agreement did ensue This in some cases was by Pledges or an Earnest Isa. 36.8 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Give Surety Pledges Hostages for the true performance of conditions Hence is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
grant what is the proper Work and Duty of a surety and who the Lord Jesus was a surety for and it is evident that nothing more proper or pertinent could be mentioned by him when he was in the Declaration of that office 2 He confesseth that by his Exposition of this suretiship of Christ as making him a surety for God he contradicteth the nature and only notion of a surety among men For such a one he acknowledgeth doth nothing but in the defect and unability of them for whom he is ingaged and doth undertake He is to pay that which they owe and to do what is to be done by them which they cannot perform And if this be not the notion of a surety in this place the Apostle makes use of a word no where else used in the whole Scripture to teach us that which it doth never signifie among men which is improbable and absurd For the sole Reason why he did make use of it was that from the nature and notion of it amongst men in others cases we may understand the signification of it what he intends by it and what under that name he ascribes unto the Lord Jesus 3 He hath no way to solve the Apostles mention of Christ being a surety in the description of his Priestly Office but by overthrowing the Nature of that Office also For to confirm this absurd notion that Christ as a Priest was a surety for God he would have us believe that the Priesthood of Christ consists in his making effectual unto us the Promises of God or his effectual communicating of the Good things promised unto us the falshood of which notion really destructive of the Priesthood of Christ I have elsewhere at large detected and confuted Wherefore seeing the Lord Christ is a surety of the Covenant as a Priest and all the sacerdotal Actings of Christ have God for their immediate Object and are performed with him on our behalf he was a surety for us also A Surety Sponsor Vas Praes Fidejussor for us the Lord Christ was by his voluntary undertaking out of his rich Grace and Love to do answer and perform all that is required on our parts that we may enjoy the Benefits of the Covenant the Grace and Glory prepared proposed and promised in it in the way and manner determined on by Divine Wisdom And this may be reduced unto two Heads 1. His answering for our Transgressions against the first Covenant 2. His purchase and procurement of the Grace of the New He was made a Curse for us that the Blessing of Abraham might come upon us Gal. 3.13 1 15. 1. He undertook as they surety of the Covenant to answer for all the sins of those who are to be and are made partakers of the Benefits of it That is to undergo the punishment due unto their sins to make atonement for them by offering himself a propitiatory sacrifice for the Expiation of their sins redeeming them by the Price of his Blood from their state of misery and bondage under the Law and the Curse of it Isa. 53.4 5 6 10 Math. 20.28 1 Tim. 2.6 1 Cor. 6.20 Rom. 3.25 26. Heb. 10.5 6 7 8. Rom. 8.2 3. 2 Cor. 5.19 20 21. Gal. 3.13 And this was absolutely necessary that the Grace and Glory prepared in the Covenant might be communicated unto us Without this undertaking of his and performance of it the Righteousness and Faithfulness of God would not permit that sinners such as had Apostatized from him despised his Authority and rebelled against him falling thereby under the sentence and curse of the Law should again be received into his Favour and made Partakers of Grace and Glory This therefore the Lord Christ took upon himself as the surety of the Covenant 2. That those who were to be taken into this Covenant should receive Grace enabling them to comply with the Terms of it fulfill its Conditions and yield the Obedience which God required therein For by the Ordination of God he was to procure and did merit and procure for them the Holy Spirit and all needful supplies of Grace to make them new Creatures and enable them to yield Obedience unto God from a new principle of spiritual Life and that faithfully unto the End So was he the surety of this better Testament But all things belonging hereunto will be handled at large in the place from whence as I said these are taken as suitable unto our present occasion But some have other notions of these things For they say that Christ by his Death and his Obedience therein whereby he offered himself a sacrifice of sweet smelling savour unto God procured for us the New Covenant or as one speaks all that we have by the Death of Christ is that thereunto we owe the Covenant of Grace For herein he did and suffered what God required and freely appointed him to do and suffer Not that the Justice of God required any such thing with respect unto their sins for whom he died and in whose stead or to bestead whom he suffered but what by a free Constitution of Divine Wisdom and Soveraignty was appointed unto him Hereon God was pleased to remit the Terms of the Old Covenant and to enter into a New Covenant with mankind upon Terms suited unto our Reason possible unto our Abilities and every way advantageous unto us For these Terms are Faith and sincere Obedience or such an Assent unto the Truth of Divine Revelations as is effectual in Obedience unto the Will of God contained in them upon the encouragement given thereunto in the Promises of Eternal Life or a future Reward made therein On the performance of these Conditions our Justification Adoption and future Glory do depend For they are that Righteousness before God whereon he pardons our sins and accepts our persons as if we were perfectly Righteous Wherefore by this procuring the New Covenant for us which they ascribe unto the death of Christ they intend the abrogation of the old Covenant or of the Law or at least such a Derogation from it that it shall no more oblige us either unto sinless Obedience or Punishment nor require a perfect Righteousness unto our Justification before God and the Constitution of a new Law of Obedience accommodated unto our present state and condition on whose observance all the Promises of the Gospel do depend Others say that in the death of Christ there was real satisfaction made unto God not to the Law or unto God according to what the Law required but unto God absolutely That is He did what God was well pleased and satisfied withall without any respect unto his Justice or the Curse of the Law And they add that hereon the whole Righteousness of Christ is imputed unto us so far as that we are made Partakers of the Benefits thereof And moreover that the way of the Communication of them unto us is by the New Covenant which by his Death the Lord Christ procured For the Conditions
ever Wherefore it is only thus far broke as a Covenant that all Mankind having sinned against the Commands of it and so by Guilt with the Impotency unto Obedience which ensued thereon defeated themselves of any Interest in its Promise and possibility of attaining any such interest they cannot have any Benefit by it But as unto its power to oblige all mankind unto Obedience and the unchangeable Truth of its Promises and Threatnings it abideth the same as it was from the Beginning 2 ly Take away this Law and there is left no standard of Righteousness unto mankind no certain boundaries of Good and Evil but those pillars whereon God hath fixed the Earth are left to move and flote up and down like the Isle of Delos in the Sea Some say the Rule of Good and Evil unto men is not this Law in its original constitution but the Light of Nature and the Dictates of Reason If they mean that Light which was primogenial and concreated with our natures and those Dictates of Right and Wrong which Reason originally suggested and approved they only say in other words that this Law is still the unalterable Rule of Obedience unto all mankind But if they intend the remaining Light of Nature that continues in every individual in this depraved state thereof and that under such additional Depravations as Traditions Customs Prejudices and Lusts of all sorts have affixed unto the most there is nothing more irrational and it is that which is charged with no less inconvenience than that it leaves no certain Boundaries of Good and Evil. That which is Good unto one will on this Ground be in its own nature evil unto another and so on the contrary and all the Idolaters that ever were in the World might on this pretence be excused 3 ly Conscience bears witness hereunto There is no Good nor Evil required or forbidden by this Law that upon the Discovery of it any man in the World can perswade or bribe his Conscience not to comply with it in Judgment as unto his concernment therein It will accuse and excuse condemn and free him according to the sentence of this Law let him do what he can to the contrary In brief it is acknowledged that God by virtue of his supream Dominion over all may in some Instances change the nature and order of things so as the Precepts of the Divine Law shall not in them operate in their ordinary efficacy So was it in the case of his command unto Abraham to slay his Son and unto the Israelites to rob the Aegyptians But on a supposition of the continuance of that order of things which this Law is the preservative of such is the intrinsick nature of the Good and Evil commanded and forbidden therein that it is not the subject of divine Dispensation as even the School-men generally grant 10. From what we have discoursed two things do unavoidably ensue 1. That whereas all mankind have by sin fallen under the Penalty threatned unto the Transgression of this Law and suffering of this Penalty which is Eternal Death being inconsistent with Acceptance before God or the enjoyment of Blessedness it is utterly impossible that any one individual person of the posterity of Adam should be justified in the sight of God accepted with him or blessed by him unless this Penalty be answered undergone and suffered by them or for them the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 herein is not to be abolished but established 2. That unto the same End of Acceptation with God Justification before him and Blessedness from him the Righteousness of this Eternal Law must be fulfilled in us in such a way as that in the Judgment of God which is according unto Truth we may be esteemed to have fulfilled it and be dealt with accordingly For upon a supposition of a failure herein the sanction of the Law is not Arbitrary so as that the Penalty may or may not be inflicted but necessary from the Righteousness of God as the supream Governour of all 11. About the first of these our Controversie is with the Socinians only who deny the satisfaction of Christ and any necessity thereof Concerning this I have treated elsewhere at large and expect not to see an Answer unto what I have disputed on that Subject As unto the latter of them we must enquire how we may be supposed to comply with the Rule and answer the Righteousness of this unalterable Law whose Authority we can no way be exempted from And that which we plead is that the Obedience and Righteousness of Christ imputed unto us His Obedience as the surety of the New Covenant granted unto us made ours by the gracious Constitution Soveraign Appointment and Donation of God is that whereon we are judged and esteemed to have answered the Righteousness of the Law By the Obedience of One many are made Righteous Rom. 5.19 That the Righteousness of the Law might be fulfilled in us Rom. 8.4 And hence we argue If there be no other way whereby the Righteousness of the Law may be fulfilled in us without which we cannot be justified but must fall inevitably under the Penalty threatned unto the Transgression of it but only the Righteousness of Christ imputed unto us then is that the sole Righteousness whereby we are justified in the sight of God But the former is true and so therefore is the latter 12. On the supposition of this Law and its original obligation unto Obedience with its Sanction and Threatnings there can be but one of three ways whereby we may come to be justified before God who have sinned and are no way able in our selves to perform the Obedience for the future which it doth require And each of them have a respect unto a Soveraign Act of God with reference unto this Law The first is the Abrogation of it that it should no more oblige us either unto Obedience or Punishment This we have proved impossible and they will wofully deceive their own Souls who shall trust unto it The second is by transferring of its Obligation unto the End of Justification on a surety or common undertaker This is that which we plead for as the substance of the mystery of the Gospel considering the Person and Grace of this Undertakers or Surety And herein all things do tend unto the Exaltation of the Glory of God in all the holy properties of his nature with the fulfilling and establishing of the Law it self Math. 5.17 Rom. 3.31 chap. 8.4 chap. 10.3 4. The third way is by an Act of God towards the Law and another towards us whereby the nature of the Righteousness which the Law requireth is changed which we shall examine as the only reserve against our present Argument 3. It is said therefore that by our own personal Obedience we do answer the Righteousness of the Law so far as it is required of us But whereas no sober person can imagine that we can or that any one in our lapsed
so in the translation of the guilt of the sinner unto it as is fully declared Levit. 16.20 21. Only I must say that I grant this signification of the word to avoid contention For whereas some say that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies sin and a sacrifice for sin it cannot be allowed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Kal signifies to err to sin to transgress the Law of God In Piel it hath a contrary signification namely to cleanse from sin or to make expiation of sin Hence 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is most frequently used with respect unto its derivation from the first conjugation and signifies sin transgression and guilt But sometimes with respect unto the second and then it signifies a sacrifice for sin to make expiation of it And so it is rendered by the LXX sometimes by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ezek. 44.27 sometimes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Exod. 30.10 Ezek. 43.23 A Propitiation a Propitiatory Sacrifice Sometimes by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Num. 19.19 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Purification or Cleasing But 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 absolutely doth no where in any good Author nor in the Scripture signifie a Sacrifice for sin unless it may be allowed to do so in this one place alone For whereas the LXX do render 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 constantly by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 where it signifies sin where it denotes an Offering for sin and they retain that word they do it by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an Elliptical expression which they invented for that which they knew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of its self neither did nor could signifie Lev. 4.3 14 32 35. Chap. 5.6 7 8 9 10 11. Chap. 6.30 Chap. 8.2 And they never omit the preposition unless they name the Sacrifice as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This is observed also by the Apostle the new Testament For twice expressing the Sin-offering by this word he useth that phrase 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 8.3 Heb. 10.6 But no where useth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to that purpose If it be therefore of that signification in this place it is so here alone And whereas some think that it answers Piaculum in the Latine it is also a mistake for the first signification of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is confessed to be sin and they would have it supposed that thence it is abused to signifie a Sacrifice for sin But Piaculum is properly a Sacrifice or any thing whereby sin is expiated or satisfaction is made for it And very rarely it is abused to denote such a sin or crime as deserves publick expiation and is not otherwise to be pardoned so Virgil Distulit in seram commissa Piacula mortem But we shall not contend about words whilest we can agree about what is intended The only enquiry is how God did make him to be sin He hath made him to be sin so that an act of God is intended And this is elsewhere expressed by his laying all our Iniquities upon him or causing them to meet on him Isa. 53.6 And this was by the Imputation of our sins unto him as the sins of the people were put on the Head of the Goat that they should be no more theirs but his so as that he was to carry them away from them Take sin in either sense before mentioned either of a Sacrifice for sin or a Sinner and the Imputation of the guilt of sin antecedently unto the punishment of it and in order thereunto must be understood For in every Sacrifice for sin there was an imposition of sin on the Beast to be offered antecedent unto the Sacrificing of it and therein its suffering by death Therefore in every offering for sin he that brought it was to put his hand on the head of it Lev. 1.4 And that the transferring of the guilt of sin unto the offering was thereby signified is expresly declared Lev. 16.21 Wherefore if God made the Lord Christ a Sin Offering for us it was by the Imputation of the guilt of sin unto him antecedently unto his suffering Nor could any Offering be made for sin without a Typical translation of the guilt of sin unto it And therefore when an Offering was made for the expiation of the guilt of an uncertain Murther those who were to make it by the Law namely the Elders of the City that were next unto the place where the man was slain were not to offer a Sacrifice because there was none to confess guilt over it or to lay guilt upon it But whereas the neck of an Heifer was to be stricken off to declare the punishment due unto Blood they were to wash their hands over it to testifie their own Innocency Deut. 21.1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8. But a Sacrifice for sin without the Imputation of guilt there could not be And if the word be taken in the second sense namely for a sinner that is by imputation and in Gods esteem it must be by the imputation of guilt For none can in any sense be denominated a sinner from mere suffering None indeed do say that Christ was made sin by the imputation of punishment unto him which hath no proper sense But they say sin was imputed unto him as unto punishment which is indeed to say that the guilt of sin was imputed unto him For the guilt of sin is its respect unto punishment or the obligation unto punishment which attends it And that any one should be punished for sin without the imputation of the guilt of it unto him is impossible and were it possible would be unjust For it is not possible that any one should be punished for sin properly and yet that sin be none of his And if it be not his by inhaesion it can be his no other way but by imputation One may suffer on the occasion of the sin of another that is no way made his but he cannot be punished for it for punishment is the recompence of sin on the account of its guilt And were it possible where is the Righteousness of punishing any one for that which no way belongs unto him Besides imputation of sin and punishing are distinct acts the one preceding the other and therefore the former is only of the guilt of sin Wherefore the Lord Christ was made sin for us by the imputation of the guilt of our sins unto him But it is said that if the guilt of sin were imputed unto Christ he is excluded from all possibility of merit for he suffered but what was his due And so the whole work of Christs satisfaction is subverted This must be so if God in judgment did reckon him guilty and a sinner But there is an ambiguity in these expressions If it be meant that God in judgment did reckon him guilty and a sinner inherently in his own person no such thing is intended But God laid all our sins on him and in judgment spared him not as unto what was due unto them And so he suffered