as an Antecedent not as a Cause or proper condition of Pardon Faith precedes in order of Nature and Repentance infallibly follows when we see the wonderful Grace of God that he stops and heales the Breach our Sins have made with the Dead Body of his Son quenched the Fire of his Anger with the Blood of his Son made War with him to make Peace with us Sheathed his Sword in his own Son that he might Draw it out Sheath it and for ever lay it asleep towards us This Grace of God softens hard Hearts melts the Rebellious and Obstinate Wills of Men. When we believe that God will repent of his Righteous Enmity against us this indures and inclines us to Repent of our unjust and wicked Enmity against him When we are perswaded that God is ready to heal us Matth. 13.15 this swayes us to desist from wounding him in his Authority and Glory when God declares he will turn from his Anger this influences sinners to change their mindes towards God and to turn from their Provocations and Rebellions against him How can Men possibly Love God or subject themselves to him if they Believe he is inexorable inflexible will Retain his anger pursue his Controversy and take Vengeance on Offenders for their former Transgressions If God will never open his Prison if he will shut up his Bowels against and pour out his Fury on Transgressors this will harden them against God But when they see God is not implacable this causes them to relent and induces them to return to God Jer. 3.22 God saith Return ye backsliding Children and I will heal your backslidings They Eccho to God Lo we come unto thee For thou art the Lord our God They believed God would forgive Iniquty and this influenced them to depart from Iniquity As God puts it away he will not impute it 2 Sam. 12.13 So we must put it away and not obey it Isa 2.16 17. As God will not remember Iniquity with anger so we must not remember it with delight when God casts Sin behind his back Isa 38.17 We must set no wicked thing before our eyes Psal 101.3 Repentance in Scripture is said to be to God and Faith towards our Lord Jesus Christ Acts 20.21 By Faith we first return to our Lord Jesus the great Shepherd 1 Pet. 2. last and then by Repentance we return to God the Father Jer. 3.22 As by Faith we receive the Righteousness of Christ Rom. 5.17 So by Repentance we Recognize the Rights of God the Dominion he hath over us as his Creatures and the advantage he hath against us as Sinners As Faith abases us in that we must fly to Christ for Righteousness so Repentance doth lower stoop and empty us that we must have Recourse to meer pure Mercy for our Pardon Faith humbles as to the matter for which we are Justified and Repentance humbles us as to the manner in which we are Justified as we are Justified by the Obedience and Redemption of Christ so we are also Justified freely by the Grace of God the Father Rom. 3.24 A Sinner then advances and magnifies Grace when he is cast down in himself when a Sinner seeth the Plague of his heart the Spiritual Leprosy of his Soul the Filthy Fountain of Iniquity that is in his Nature he abhors himself for the evil Treasure that is within and loathes himself for all the evil things that have been brought forth out of it The offender is now ashamed to lift up his Eyes to Heaven Luke 18.13 He blushes and is ashamed to look God in the Face Ezra 9.6 Innumerable evils now Compass the Sinner about his Iniquities take hold of him that he cannot look up Psal 40.12 As we are Justified by Faith so we Justifie God by Repentance 1. In his Commands Rom. 7.12.14 The Commandment is Holy Just and Good Holy with respect to God Just with respect to Man Good with respect to our selves 2. We Justifie God in all his threatenings Psal 51.3 4. David did acknowledg his Iniquity that God might be Justified when he did Speak and be clear when he did Judg. Whatever God had spoken against David however he had Judged him and his House by Nathan 2 Sam. 12.10 11 12.14 Whatever Judgments he had denounced as a War to rise out of his own House and the defiling of his Wives the death of his Child yet David doth Justifie God in all this Guilt did seale up his Lips shame did cover his Face he could enter no Action against God complain of no wrong done by him If God should cut down Barren Trees if he should Execute Condemned Creatures if he should Bury those in the Bottemless Pit that have been long Dead in Sin they confess they cannot spot him with Cruelty or blot him with Injustice Repentance is so far form lessening of or detracting from Grace that it commends heightens and exalts it that God should Justifie a Sinner that Arraigns himself and judges himself to be Guilty of Innumerable Transgressions and worthy of Eternal Death that God should cover those Sins in Mercy that were laid open and represented as exceeding Heinous and Sinful by the Transgressor himself the poor Publican could not plead but only petition he could mention no Righteousness of his within or good Works without he had nothing to look or fly to but Mercy only God be Mercyful to me a Sinner It is observable he doth not say My God be merciful to me a Sinner but God be Merciful to me a Sinner Adam accused Eve Eve accused the Serpent and so thought in some measure to excuse themselves but the Publican charged himself only I am the Sinner he accuses no other though Sinning yet presumptous Israel saith My God we know thee Hos 8.2 But this Publican pleads no relation to God claims no Interest in him yet he ventures to cast himself into the Arms of Mercy to lye down prostrate at the feet of Mercy And was not this Free and Rich Grace to cleanse a Spiritual Leper to wash one that accounts himself a Lump of Guilt and Filth To bind up a broken heart to Raise a Spirit bowed down and ready utterly to sink under a weight of Guilt To take away Filthy garments and to bring forth the best Robe to Cloath a naked Soul to kill the fatted Calf to Feast a Famishing Sinner If the very Redemption of Christ if his Attoning Sacrifice doth not detract from God's Free Grace Rom. 3.24 * Vid. Bolton on the place Surely the Sacrifice of a Broken Heart doth not Wrong or Rob Grace of its glory it was the express will and Law of God that on the very day of Attonement when Sacrifices were offered for Typical Expiation of Sin that the Israelites afflict their Souls Levet 16.29 Much more when we Beleive that Jesus Christ hath made a real Attonement for our Sins we must deeply afflict our Souls for our Iniquities that kindled the Wrath of God against us that procured so
God by Isaiah tell us Isa 48.8 Thou wast called a Transgressor from the Womb. God might call us Backsliders Revolters Rebels and Enemies And is not our own Name both reproachful dangerous and pernicious too if we keep and retain it Is it not then absolutely necessary that we should lose our old Name and put on the Honourable and Glorious Name of Christ that we may be Justified in it 1 Cor. 6.11 The Apostle Paul hath this expression Justified in the Name of the Lord Jesus The Apostle seems to me plainly to refer to the Name of Christ in the Text and to this Name as communicated to and put on the Church Jer. 33.16 in this Name of our Husband must we be Justified If our old Name stick on us and cleave to us we must surely be Condemned in this Name and the Wrath of God will abide upon us But Christ's Name will draw Salvation on us and procure a Blessing for us As a Husband must Cloath his Wife so Christ spreads the Skirt of the Robe of his Righteousness on and over us to hide our Shame and cover our Nakedness Ezek. 16.8 as a Husband is a cover to the Wife he protects her from Debts Arrests Law-suites so the Spouse of Christ is under Covert he secures her from the wofull effects of Sin and Wrath. 4. It is by Faith that we become interested in and related to Christ as a Surety Heb. 7.22 Christ is the Surety of a better Covenant and Testament If Jesus Christ had not undertaken to stand under feel and endure the curse of the Old violated Covenant of Works Deut. 27. last Gal. 3.10.13 and to Merit for us the Blessings of the New Covenant as a Priest of Good Things Gal. 3.14 Heb. 9.11 God would never have made a New Covenant or Tastament it is built on Christ's Suretyship as a Foundation Christ in this dissers from all other Testators that he Bequeaths nothing in his Testament but what he Merits by his Sufferings and purchases by his Death For whom is Christ a Surety And to whom doth the Benefit of Christ's Suretyship redound but to those that Believe on him their Ransom he paid their Debt he discharged As the Payment of a Surety is imputed to the Principal Debtor so the Payment of Christ is imputed to all Indebted Sinners that come to Christ and receive his Righteousness Rom. 5.17 it availes and advantages no others but God reckons Christ's Obedience and Satisfaction to every Believer Some have conceived * Witsus de Faedere that the word Imputation is borrowed from Arithmetick and keeping of Accounts God doth as it were keep a Book Isa 65.6 Behold it is Written before me Our Sins Transgressions and Provocations are as Debts set down in one Page of this Book and the Obedience Sufferings and Satisfaction of Christ is set down as it were in another Page of God's Book When God accounts the Obedience and Sufferings of Christ to us this Ballances the Account this Crosses the Book and makes all even between God and us God sets Christ's Obedience against our Disobedience his Righteousness against our Unrighteousness because we come into this Righteousness by Faith and trust on his Blood Psal 69.27 Rom. 3.25 God now saith Poor Souls let it be to you according to your Faith you trust in Christ's Righteousness 2. Pet. 1. so let it cloath and cover you and secure you from all your sins and the Curse of my Law As Christ is one with us in Nature as a Man so he is one with us in Law as a Surety Christ did put his Name into our Bond and was as a Surety bound in our Obligation that in a Righteous way he might blot our Sins out of God's Book and Insert our Names into his own Testament Jesus as a Surety vailed his own Innocency covered his own Personal Purity and Righteousness took on him our Sins became Heir of our Punishment and Curse that he might hide and cover our Sins and we become Heirs of his Righteousness and Blessings As the Sentence of Death passed against and was executed on Christ our Surety so we partake of Justification of Life and reign in Life through Jesus Christ Rom. 5.18 21. God punished our sins in Christ and God rewards Christ's Obedience and Sufferings in us Our Sins were punished in Christ's Condemnation his Obedience is rewarded in our Justification There is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Gift of Righteousness and for this there is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the free forgiveness of many Offences Rom. 5.16.17 This Glorious Name The Lord our Righteousness being put on us the Reproachful Chains of Guilt do fall off from us 4. Who is it that shall call Christ by this Name Answer 1. Such as know Jesus Christ John 5.20 He hath given us an understanding to know him that is true By his knowledge shall my righteous servant justifie many Isa 53.11 that is many by knowing of Jesus Christ shall be Justified Faith is called Knowledge because those that truly know Jesus Christ cannot but trust in him Psal 9.10 This is very observable that Christians are said to be Justified by the Knowledge of Jesus Christ it is not what we know in our selves or by our selves it is not by the knowledge of what we are or have done that we are Justified we must purely look off from our selves and wholly fix the eye of Faith on Christ Such as know the Insufficiency of their own Righteousness and the All-sufficiency of Christ's Righteousness do call him The Lord their Righteousness 2. Such as fly to Christ lay hold of him and do know their own Union with Christ and Relation to him such will say Surely in the Lord we have Righteousness Isa 45.24 A true Believer disclaims disavows and denies Righteousness to be in himself and Glories in this that he hath Righteousness in Christ 3. God may be said to call Jehovah our Righteousness when Jesus Christ is of God made Righteousness to us 1 Cor. 1.30 God the Father that Loaded Christ with our Sins Isa 53.6 he Clothes us with his Righteousness Isa 61.10 I will greatly Rejoyce in the Lord for he hath covered me with the Robe of Righteousness God gives Jesus Christ and with him gives his Righteousness Rom. 8.32 Quest Is not Repentance requisite in order to Pardon Isa 1.16 17 18. Wash you make you clean put away the euil of your doings cease to do evll and learn to do well Come now let us reason together saith the Lord though your sins be as Scarlet they shall be as white as Snow though they be red like Crimson they shall be as Wooll He that confesseth and forsakes his sin shall find mercy Prov. 28.13 Let the sinner forsake sake his ways and the unrighteous Man his thoughts and let him return unto the Lord and be will have mercy upon him and to our God and he will abundantly pardon Isa 55.7 Answ Repentance is necessary in its place
Grace and of our Justification A Condition properly taken is Influential into Right if performed it giveth Right unto the benefit promised if not performed there is no Right and therefore is a cause saith Mr. Petto in his opening of the Old and New Covenant Page 216. Faith as he saith giveth no Right John 1.12 It receives Jesus Christ and in him a Right and Title to the Blessings of the Covenant but it doth not give one Faith is not reckoned the least of that Righteousness whereby we are Justified but a means for the Applying of Jesus Christ who is our Righteousness The Covenant as to that Priviledge of it Justification is not so absolute as to be without all means yet may be absolute without any condition properly so called * Petto Page 217. Believing doth not now take the place of doing in the Old Covenant for then it must be our Righteousness unto Justification whereas that which Justifieth is called the Righteousness of Faith Rom. 10.6 Phil. 3.9 therefore Faith is distinct from that Righteousness it self and is not the least Atom of it * Page 198 199. Therefore not our Believing but the Obedience of Jesus Christ is that which cometh in the Room and Stead of that doing for Life intended in the Law Rom. 5.19 Christ is the Lord our Righteousness but to note that it lieth wholly out of our selves that it is not by any of our performances but in another even in Jesus Christ it is said to be by Faith as a means of Application Faith though necessary doth receive a Title from Jesus Christ doth not give one * Pag. 201. We do not claim Salvation in the Right of any act of ours not upon the Rent of Faith we hold and claim upon the Obedience of Christ Jesus alone Rom. 5.18 19 21. If Faith be a proper condition and not an instrument let it be considered 1. Whether we are not then Justified by Faith as a work Now the Scripture distinguisheth and opposeth Working and Believing Rom. 4.5 Therefore surely Faith is not considered as a Work in Justification In a condition the dignity and perfection of the Work is properly to be attended to but an instrument respects the Excellency of the object hence a weak Faith Justifies as much as a strong Faith because we are not Justified by our own act but by the object that we look to Calvin in his Antidote against the 6th Session of the Council of Trent saith Neque et enim quicquam nostrum fides affert ad Deum sed quod ultro affert nobis Deus recipit Faith brings nothing of ours to God but only receives what he offers hence saith he it is that Faith though imperfect doth possess a perfect Righteousness because it hath no other respect but to the free Goodness of God 2. A condition is properly to be done before we have a Right to the benefit promised but Faith receives Christ immediately and feeds on him In our very Believing we are put into Possession of Christ and have the Son 1 John 5.11 12.3 To have a Right is a less benefit than we have by Faith for a Man may have a Right and not have Possession but be put to sue it but by Faith we receive the Testimony of Christ and receive Christ himself John 1.32 33. 1 John 12.4 That which is promised in the Covenant cannot properly be a condition of the Covenant In those words They shall all know me from the greatest to the least Faith seems to be promised Jer. 31.34 Faith is a manner of knowing of things upon the Testimony of another and Faith seems to be called Knowledge Isa 53.11 Besides it seems too high a thing for us thus to plead with God Lord we have performed the condition of the Covenant and therefore justly claim the benefit as due to us Surely it seems most humble for us and most for the Glory of God's Grace and of Christ's Righteousness that Faith should be considered rather as a Beggar 's hand than as a Working hand the hand Faith is not a Working hand to earn and gain a Righteousness but a Beggar 's hand to receive a gift we are said to receive the Testimony of Christ John 3.33 to receive Christ John 1.12 To receive Righteousness Rom. 5.17 To receive the Atonement Rom. 5.17 To receive the remission of Sins Acts 26.18 All these Expressions seem to point at Faith as an Instrument rather than as a condition We receive Christ as our Righteousness as our Food as our Ransom as our Medicine in the first direct acts of Faith these things do not come after believing but are received in and by Believing as a Beggar makes an Alms his own by receiving it And though we own a contrite Repenting Sinner to be the subject of Justification yet we cannot own that Repentance doth receive the Righteousness of Christ this belongs to Faith alone or that Repentance is a condition that puts any worth into us as our act of Obedience but rather that God requires it because it empties impoverishes and wholly drives us out of our selves to God's free mercy and to Christ's Atoneing Sacrifice God requires a broken Heart not for any worth in the matter of contrition but because by contrition all conceits of self-worthiness are expelled and the contrite man renounceth his own Works worth and merit and despiseth his own doings as a broken Vessel Such an one is most fit to receive the Grace and free pardon of God as Mr. Dickson well expresseth it on Psal 51.17 A Malefactor though never so Penitent is not thereby qualified to be Justified from that Capital Crime he hath committed but if just compensation be made and full Satisfaction be given to the Law as Christ hath done this may be pleaded to prevent Death Repentance is also promised in the Covenant Ezek. 36.26 A new Heart also will I give to you and a new Spirit will I put within you I will take away the Heart of Stone and give you a Heart of Flesh and therefore cannot be a proper condition of the Covenant of Grace Faith and Repentance in their own Nature do both renounce themselves as Righteousness or qualifications to make us meet to be Justified the Obedience that Christ as a surety hath performed is the proper condition on which the Covenant of Grace is built Hath Christ performed the perfect condition of the new Covenant and yet set up imperfect ones to be performed by us to give us a right to the Covenant and its Blessings 2. Some Brethren do inlarge the object of Justifying Faith and make Christ as King as well as Priest the Object of Justifying Faith or that we must receive Christ as King as well as Priest as a condition of our Justification Answ We own that the Faith that Justifieth doth receive Christ as King but we deny that it closeth with Christ as King as it is Justifying Christ as King subdues us to God
immediate and only Righteousness for Justification Christ is not only the Meritorious cause of our Justification but the very matter of our Righteousness The Israelites did not look to the Brazen Serpent in part and partly to a Plaister of their own providing for help against the Bite of the Fiery Serpents but wholly took off their eye from themselves and Fixed it only on God's Remedy The Man that brought a Sacrifice was to lay his hand on the head of it Levit. 1.4 The Hebrew word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is rendred Fulciet he shall prop up his hand by leaning strongly on the Head of the Sacrifice the same word is used of Aaron laying or leaning his hand strongly on the Head of the Scape-Goat Levit. 16.21 So we must trust stedfastly on Christ our Sacrifice we must stay our selves from sinking and falling by leaning on the Obedience and Righteousness of Christ this must be our only support The Names of the Twelve Tribes of Israel were put and carried on the two shoulders of the High-Priest Exod. 28.12 to point at these sweet Truths that we must be born on the Shoulders of Christ our Great High-Priest that we may not fink down to Hell but be carried up to Heaven by him We must therefore greedily catch at and strongly take hold of the Righteousness of Christ It is said of the Gentiles 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Took hold of the Righteousness that is by Faith as a Racer that grasps and holds fast the Prize We must strike the Root of Faith deep into the Righteousness of Christ An Anchor will not hold a Ship fast if it only ly on the ground and do not pierce deep into it So Faith will not establish our hearts if it doth not penetrate and pierce deep into Christ We must Marry Jesus Christ 2 Cor. 11.2 that he may spread his Skirt over us Ezek. 16.8 and cover our Nakedness that he may secure us from our Debts and protect us from God's Arrest By Faith we must Feed on and eat Christ and be Incorporated into him John 6.53 54 57. Surely then Christ's Righteousness will Cloth and Cover his own Body We must be engrafted into Christ as our Stock and then we shall partake of Christ's Righteousness as the Fruit that this Noble Vine doth bear as we partake of the Vital Sap of Christ for our Sanctification so we feed on the Food of Christ his Active and Passive Obedience for our Justification If the Guilt of Sin doth not set close to and press hard on our Consciences the Hand of Faith will not press and lean hard on the Head of Jesus Christ our Atoning Sacrifice 8. We must be Humble and Repent 1. We must be Humbled We think our selves to be Rich and to want nothing Rev. 3.17 till the Spirit doth as it were sue out the Statute of Bankrupt against us and shew us our Poverty that we are nothing have nothing can do nothing that is Spiritually Good till Christ doth quicken us and live in us We have a Mountain of Pride and Carnal Confidence that must be levelled Isa 40.4 Men are naturally so high and stout that they are not willing to stoop submit and be beholding wholly to the Righteousness of Christ Rom. 10. v. 3. The Israelites in the Wilderness did Murmur and Complain because it was no place of Seed Numb 20.5 But did they not receive Bread in a more easie way Was it not Rained down from Heaven on them yet they speak as if they had rather to go to Plow Sow earn and get their Bread by their own Labour than to receive it of God's free gift God is said to humble them and feed them with Manna Deut. 8.3 they did not get their Bread by the Sweat of their Face but received it as a daily Almes from God and in this sense God humbled them when he fed them with Manna Proud Sinners like the Israelites had rather Plow Sow raise Bread and Righteousness out of themselves than to receive it as a Gift from Heaven But this Tympany of Pride must be prickt our Rags our Fig-leaves our Plaisters must be pluckt away that our Shame Nakedness and Sores may appear We must come to God in the most submissive manner A Begger must not Cloath himself with Satins or Silks or put on Rings or Chains of Gold this is a Garb that contradicts his Requests as a Begger and will frustrate his design We must come to God in the most humble way to beg an Alms and sue for the gift of Righteousness Rom. 5.17 we must not boast of any Righteousness or plead any Works of ours but acknowledge our Sores Nakedness and Poverty 2. We must Repent and turn from Sin If thou wilt not renounce the filth and dominion of sin God may justly retain the Guilt of it and bind it on thee We must not love what we should loath retain that which we should cast away continue in that which we should break off from We must feel the weight and tast the bitterness of sin Christ only did bear our sins for Expiation but we must bear them by Remorse and Godly sorrow Ephraim said When he Repented he bear on him the Reproach of his Youth Jer. 31.19 We must take our fins to us charge and bind them on us before Jesus Christ will put them away if we see but little evil that we have committed we shall account that God had but few Faults of ours to lay on Jesus Christ and so we shall make light of Christ's Sorrows and Sufferings How can we desire God to put away our sins 2 Sam. 12 13. if we will keep sin and not put it away Job 20.12 13. Isa 1.16 17. Jer. 44.15 16 17. Was Christ's Body broken for sin 1 Cor. 11.24 And shall not our hearts be broken for it and from it Psal 51.17 A broken heart will set a price on and be a meet Patient for a bleeding and broken Christ Christ hath little Practice and few Patients in the World because Men are so hard-hearted and so few are broken in heart We must cast out our Lusts as Jonah that we may not be drowned in Perdition we must suffer in our flesh that is in our corrupt Nature 1 Pet. 4.1 that we may not suffer in our Souls and Bodies to Eternity Tho' God will be Reconciled to Sinners yet not to Sin though Christ came to shew Mercy to Offenders yet his design is to exercise Severity on the Devil's Work in us and to destroy Iniquity 1 John 38. yet it is not Repentance but Faith that receives God's Gift and Christ's Righteousness Rom. 5.17 Acts 26.18 yea Repentance being Christ's Gift Doth not Faith receive it Some say there cannot be a Fiducial act of Faith before Repentance But must we not trust on God through Christ for a new heart of flesh to be given to us Ezek. 36.26 And is not this a Fiducial Act of Faith Can we trust on Christ for any Spiritual