THE NATURE OF JUSTIFICATION OPENED, IN A SERMON On ROMANS V. 1. BY Mr. GIBBONS, sometime Preacher at Blackfriars, LONDON. LONDON, Printed for Tho. Parkhurst, at the Bible and Three Crowns in Cheapside, near Mercer's- Chappel, 1695. The NATURE of justification opened. ROMANS V 1. — Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God, etc. THE Words present us, for the Argument of this Morning-Exercise, with the great Doctrine of Justification, first to be Opened, and then Improved. 1. To be Opened. And that we may not with Aquinas and the Papists, In ipso limine impingere, Stumble the very first Step we take, and so quite ever after lose our way, by confounding Justification with Sanctification, I shall only premise, That as in Sanctification the change is Absolute and Inherent, so in Justification the change is Relative and Juridical; the former is wrought in the Sinner's Person, he becomes a new Creature; but this latter is wrought in his State, he becomes Absolved at the Bar of Divine Justice; for Justification is a Law-state, (〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉) it abolisheth the convincing Power of Sin, or its Gild. Our Business therefore, is to discover the Process at God's Bar, in the justification of a Sinner, which will be best done by comparing it with that at Man's, which we are familiarly acquanted with. To be Justified, therefore implies in general three things. 1. The Person is charged with Gild. 2. Pleads to the Charge. 3. Upon that Plea is discharged by the Judge. 1. A justified Person must be charged with Gild. Now Gild is the Relation which Sin hath to Punishment; for Sin is the breach of the Law, and Punishment is the Vengeance which the Law threatens for that breach. And as the threatening itself is in the nature of it, a Guard to the Law, to prevent the breach of it, bidding, as it were, the Transgressor come at his Peril, break the Law if he dare, be wi●e before hand, lest he rue it too late; so the Punishment in the very nature of it, is a vindication of the Equity of the injured Law, the Reparation and Amends it makes itself for the wrong done it, by damnifying the Person injuring her, proportionally to the Injury: Now, that a justified Person must be charged with Gild, i. e. with the breach of Law; and by consequence with desert of Punishment, appears, because otherwise, if a Man be pronounced Righteous, whom no body ever accused, or questioned, he is only praised, not justified. 2. The Person to be justified, must plead for himself; either in Person, or by his Advocate who sustains his Person; for to refuse to Plead, is to despair quite of being justified; and to abandon one's self over unto Punishment, Silence gives con●●●t, it argues, the accused Person hath nothing to say for himself, why he should not be Condemned. Our Law, you know, showeth no Mercy to one that will not Plead, he is to be Pressed to Death. An Indicted person must plead therefore something in his own behalf, why he should be Justified, if he would be. Now, either the Man is Guilty of the Charge, or not Guilty. I must speak to both Cases, and show what Pleas are requisite in each, and which of them is the Plea upon which a Sinner is justified at the Bar of God. Case 1. If the Indicted person be not Guilty of the Charge, Justice itself must justify him upon that Plea. Si accusasse sufficiat, quis erit innocens? An innocent Person may be accused, he can never be convinced; for that that is not, can never be demonstrated; the Judge or Jury were themselves Guilty, if they found Innocence Guilty. Now to be Justified thus, is to be purely and merely Justified, not at all to be Pardoned; for such a one stands upon his Terms, bears himself upon his own Righteousness, begs no Mercy. 'Tis no favour to justify him, 'tis his due; he is not beholding to the Judge a jot, the exact rigour of the Law acquits him. To bring this to the present Business, I shall demonstrate, that we can never be justified at the Bar of God, by pleading not Guilty; For, First, The Plea is false. Although in a very restrained Sense, there is none so wicked, but he may plead not Guilty, and be justified as to this or that particular Fact charged upon him. Nimrod was not Guilty of Abel's Murder. Nay, a Saint may be guilty of some Sins which the Devil may plead not Guilty to, as grieving the comforting, the sealing Spirit, abusing the Redeemer's Grace, etc. yet nothing short of Universal Innocence, nothing but a perfect Righteousness, a total exemption from all manner of Gild will entitle us before God's Tribunal to this Plea; For whosoever shall keep the whole Law, and yet offend in one point, is guilty of all, Jam. 2.10. 1. Because the Punishment due to the breach of the whole Law, viz, the Curse of God is due to every breach of every part. Cursed is he that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the Law to do them, Gal. 3.10. Deut. 27.26. The wages of sin (〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of every single sin) is death, Rom. 6.23. 2. Because, He that offends in one point, affronteth the Authority of all, as is excellently observed in the next Verse; For he that said, Do not commit adultery, said also, Do not steal, Jam. 2.11. Every Sin hath Atheism in it, it denies the God that is above; to trample upon the Majesty of God shining in one Commandment, is at once to trample upon that Majesty which enacted all. 3. Because thereby he becomes infected with a contagious Disposition to be guilty of all; the same Principle which emboldened him now, will another time (if but excited with equal Strengths of Temptation) to commit any other Sin, or to repeat the same Sins again and again (though excited with still weaker and weaker Temptations) for as frequent Acts strengthen the habit of Sin, so the habit facilitates the Acts. From hence it appears, That the holy Angels, that Adam in Innocency, that the Man Christ Jesus, might indeed plead not Guilty before God, and be justified upon that Plea; but now impossible forms, Rom. 3.20, 23. Psal. 1●. ●. 1 Joh. 1.8. Secondly, The Plea being false, there is no h●●e ●pon this Issue to be justified, unless there were some defect in the Judge, or in the Evidence. In the Judge either of Prudence, in not Understanding; or of Integrity or Powe●, in not executing the Law might: But in our Case these are a like, that is, infinitely impossible; for we have to do with the All wise Legislator himself, who is also the Holy, Holy, Holy Lord God Almighty, and shall not this ●udge of all the earth do right? Gen. 18. 2●. Nor can there be any defect in the Evidence, for the b●●●ks shall be opened at the last day, and the dead shall be judged out ●f these things which are written in the books, according to their works, Rev. 20.12. Nay, even now there are two Day books a ●●lling, down goes (every Hour, every Moment) all we do and think, and speak, in the Book of God's Remembrance fairly written; not an jota, not a tittle either missed or blurred; of this God hath given us a counterpart to ●eep in our own Bosoms, the Register of Conscience (though a very imperfect Copy, full of Blo●, Mistakes, Omissions, yet) enough ●l●●e to convince us instead of a thousand Witnesses; for every Sinner will be his own Accuser and Condemner, rising up as an Advocate in the behalf of the great Judge, against himself at the day of Judgement. — Prima est haec ultio, quod se Judic●, ●e●o nocent absolvitur— Case 2. And this was the first Plea, not Guilty; but the Case is not ours, and therefore this Plea will never justify us. I come therefore to the other (which in our Case) is Guilty; and here are two ways of pleading. First, Mere Mercy, for Mercies ●●ke; but indeed, this is not to Plead at all, but to Beg. And as in the last Case, when an innocent Person upon his pleading not Guilty is discharged, that is pure Justification, but no Pardon: so here quite contrary; when a guilty Person is discharged out of Mercy, this is pure Pardon, but no Justification; for there shines not one Beam of Justice in such a Discharge, mere Mercy is all in all. Whence it follows, that the Socinians, who, to avoid the necessity of acknowledging Christ's Satisfaction to Divine Justice, affirm, That Justification is nothing but mere Remission of Sins, do abuse the Word, and contradict themselves; for, who seethe not, that to be pardoned gratis, out of pure Mercy (without the least Reparation made, either for the Injury and Indignity done to the Law, or Satisfaction to the Honour, Justice, and Authority of the Lawgiver, by the Sin affronted) is not to be justified at all, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, but only to be gratified, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, i. e. disoharged upon the sole account of Mercy, without any consideration had of Justice. This is the first way of pleading when Guilty, mere Mercy for Mercies sake; but to be justified upon this Plea, is an evident Contradiction. Therefore 〈◊〉, The only Plea for a guilty Person to be justified upon, is to plead Mercy for the sake of some Satisfaction made to the Justice and Honour of the Law. And by how much the fuller this Satisfaction is, by so much the sullen is the Justification of such a person as is upon this Plea discharged. N●● as full Satisfaction may be made two ways. 1. By suffering the whole Penalty due. 2. When a valuable Consideration is accepted by the offended Party or Judge, wherein the Honour of the Law is as much saved, as if it had never been broken; or as if being broken, the full Penalty had been inflicted on the Breaker. And here I have these two things to prove. 1. That Man could never make such Satisfaction to the Justice of God, nor any Creature for him. 2. That the Lord Christ hath made such full Satisfaction, that it stands now with the Honour of the Holy God, to justify Sinners upon the terms of the Gospel. 1. Assertion. First, That neither Man, nor any Creature, could satisfy offended Justice. 1. Not by suffering the Penalty; for that being Infinite, requires an infinite Continuance under it (there being no other way for a Finite Creature to suffer Infinitely) and so the whole Penalty will ever be suffering, but can never be suffered; for in Eternity, stop where you will, and there is yet as much to come, as is already past; nay, infinitely more, for that which is past, is but a Finite time of suffering, though Millions of Ages are past, but an Eternity of suffering is yet to come; and after as many more Millions of Ages, still, still an infinite Eternity is future, that never can be so exhausted, but an Eternity will still be left. Secondly, Not by any act of Service, which amounts to a valuable Consideration worthy to be accepted of the Judge as Satisfactory to his affronted Justice, for two Reasons. 1. Because God is more dishonoured by one Sin, than honoured by an Eternity of Obedience; for God is not at all obliged to Cherubims and Seraphims for obeying him; all the Creation naturally oweth its utmost possibility of Service, as an Eternal Debt to its great Creator. Now the least act of Disobedience, or Sin, being Injury and Treason, thereby a new Obligation is contracted, viz. to suffer condign Punishment, the former Obligation unto Duty remaining eternally in as full Force as ever; which, if we could discharge, yet were we but imprositable servants, Luke 17.10. Can a man be profitable to God? Job 22.2. If thou be righteous, what givest thou to him? or what receiveth be of thine hand? Job 35.7. An Eternity of Service in the highest perfection, is every Creature's Debt as a Creature; and beside this, an Eternity of suffering too, is every delinquent Creature's Debt, as delinquent. But one Debt cannot pay another; since therefore, all that the whole Creation can do for ever, would but just satisfy the first natural Obligation unto pure Justice, viz. the Debt of Obedience; it is quite impossible that ever any Creature should supererogate, or spare any thing from hence, towards satisfying the Secondary superadded Obligation unto offended Justice, viz. the Debt of Punishment, either in its own behalf, or another's. Secondly, The other Reason, why neither Man, nor any Creature for him, can ever satisfy the offended Creator by the highest Services, because they all have it from him, when they do Obey him; of his own do they give him; for in him we live, and move, and have our Being: What hast thou, O Man; nay, O Angel, O Archangel, that thou hast not received? All our, nay, all their Springs are in him; without him we can do nothing. The more we do for God, the more he doth for us; and consequently, still the more we own him. So that acts of Obedience are so far from satisfying our Obligations to God, as that they contract new ones, for, even for them are we obliged. 2. Assertion. Having cleared the first, we come to the second Point, That Christ hath so fully satisfied his Father's offended Justice, as it stands now with the Honour of the Holy God, to justify every Sinner, that can upon Gospel terms, plead his Interest in this Satisfaction. Here we must inquire into these three things: 1. The Matter of this Satisfaction. 2. The Form, or that which makes it infinitely Satifactory and Meritorious. 3. What are those Gospel terms? First, For the matter of Christ's Satisfaction, I humbly conceive, that the whole State of his Humiliation, from his Conception to his Resurrection (for, at his Resurrection began the second State of Christ as Mediator, viz. his Exaltation to be continued to the general Resurrection, and then he shall resign up the Kingdom to the Father, and God shall be thenceforward all in all, 1 Cor. 15.24, 28.) that this State (I say) of our Redeemer's Humiliation, is entirely looked upon by God as the valuable Consideration, wherein his Justice with Honour acquiesceth, and rests satisfied. It hath two Parts. First, His taking the form of a Servant at his Incarnation. Secondly, His management of, and deportment in that State. First, His Incarnation, and this presents God with a double Satisfaction, whereby he may with Honour entertain Thoughts of Love to Mankind. 1. In that, Humane Nature is in Christ unstained with either Original, or Actual Sin; for, by his Divine Conception by the Holy Ghost, he received of his Virgin-mother, a pure, undeflowred Virgin Humane Nature; the second Adam revives the Innocency of the first; those Eyes could without Disparagement behold his Manhood, which are purer than to behold Iniquity; and even in their sight, though no other Flesh living could, yet this Flesh must be justified. 2. In that Humane Nature is in him dignified with Union to the Divine, and is become the Seat and Mansion of the Godhead; so that how loathsome soever Sin hath rendered it in us, yet in him it is highly exalted; even as highly, as the Divine Nature in him was abased; for the Humane Nature ascends just in the same proportion, as the Divine descended, that is, to the utmost possibility; for God could stoop no lower than to become a Man, nor Man rise higher than to be personally one with God. Thus you see Christ's entering into his State of Humiliation, hath rendered the Nature of Man very considerable again in the fight of God; so that he can now with Honour, exercise good Will towards it. Secondly, His management of this State, consists in his active, and passive Righteousness. By his active Righteousness, I mean his Obedience to the whole Law; to the Ceremonial, in being Circumcised, Baptised, keeping the three yearly Feasts, etc. To the Moral, in not committing one Sin, or neglecting one commanded Duty, even to Subjection to his Parents, and paying Tribute to Caesar. By his passive Righteousness, I mean all that he suffered in his Life time, as the meanness of his Birth and Education; his Persecution by Herod in his Infancy, after by the Scribes and Pharisees, his Hunger and Temptation in the Wilderness, his Poverty and Straits, he had not where to lay his Head; in a word, He was all his life long in all things tempted as we are (yet without sin) Heb. 4.15. but especially what he suffered at his Death. First, In his Body, he was scourged, spit upon, crowned with Thorns, and at length Crucified, which was, 1. A cruel Death, the Latin Cruciari, to be tormented, is derived, à cruse, from being crucified, 2. A reproachful one, Gal. 3.13. Heb. 13.13. it was the Roman Death for Slaves and Malefactors. But, Secondly, Most of all he suffered in his Soul, witness those Expressions, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Matth. 26.37. Mark 14.33. add his bemoaning himself to his Disciples in the following words, and his passionate Prayer thrice repeated, Abba Father, if it be possible let this cup pass. Add further yet, his sweeting drops of Blood, in that bitter Agony which so spent him in the Garden, that an Angel was sent to comfort him; but above all, his desertion upon the Cross, witnesseth that he suffered unutterably in his Soul, when he cried, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? The Socinians are here puzzled to give any tolerable Account, how the infinitely good God could find in his Heart to exercise his only begotten Son, that never sinned, with all these Horrors in his Soul; for certainly, it stood not with his Goodness, had not Christ, as the second Adam, been a public Person, a Representative, on whom the Lord hath laid the iniquities of us all, Isa. 53.6. But if we consider (which they deny) that Christ was then satisfying his Father's Justice, we need not wonder at those Horrors and Consternations of the Manhood; for he knew the vastness of his Undertaking, the numberless Numbers, and aggravations of Sins, the dreadful weight of his Father's Wrath, the sharpness of that Sword, Zech. 13.7. which he was going now to feel (not that God was angry with Christ upon the Cross, quoad affectum; no, he never more dearly loved him, but quoad effectum) and Christ's infinite Abhorrence of the Sins he bore, and that infinite Zeal wherewith he was inflamed to vindicate the Honour of Divine Justice. Now, his infinite love to his Church struggling with all these, produced those Agonies, and overcame them all, when he said, It is finished, Joh. 19.30. we meet him next triumphing in his Resurrection. But here to resolve that great Question, whether Christ's passive Righteousness alone, or Active and Passive jointly, are the matter of Christ's Satisfaction, which Believers plead at God's Bar for their Justification, and, which being accepted by God as a Plea good in Law, is said to be imputed (viz. in a Law-sense) for Righteousness. Let these Reasons be weighed by such as do disjoin them. First, Each of them hath its proper Interest in, and its respective Contribution towards the satisfying the injured Honour of God's Law. For the Honour of God's Law, is the Equity of both its Parts, its Command, and its Threatening; Christ's active Righteousness honours the Equity of the first, which Man had dishonoured by his Disobedience; but the great God-man hath repaired the Honour of God's Commandments, by yielding a most perfect Obedience to every one of them, and therein proclaimed the Law to be holy, just, and good. Then Christ's passive Righteousness in like manner honours the Equity of the Threatening; for, as by Obeying, he acknowledged God's Authority to make a Law, and his unexceptionable Righteousness in every single Branch of the Law made; so, by Suffering, he proclaimeth, that Man is bound to keep it; or, if he do not, to bear the Penalty. He himself dies to justify, that the Sinner is worthy of Death, and offers himself upon the Cross as a Sacrifice to the Divine Justice; and hereby he hath proclaimed Sin to be exceeding sinful, and God to be so jealous a God, as, rather than Sin should go unpunished, and his Justice wants its Glory, the Righteous Eternal Son of God must be made an Example, what guilty Man had deserved. Thus God by two equal Miracles (of everlasting Astonishment to be adored) hath satisfied both his contending Attributes, and rendered each of them Triumphant, in making his Righteous Son an Example of his Sin-avenging Justice, that guilty Sinners (repenting, and believing) might be made Examples of his Sin-pardoning goodness. In the second place, as each hath its respective Interest in satisfying the injured Law, so neither of them can be any where severed from the other; and those which God hath so indissolubly joined, let none part asunder; for Christ's active Righteousness was every where passive, because, all of it done in the form of a Servant; for in our Nature he obeyed the Law, but in his very Incarnation he was Passive, for therein he suffered an Eclipse of the Glory of his Godhead. And his passive Righteousness was every where active; because, what he suffered was not by constraint, or against his Will; no, it was his own voluntary Act and Deed all along; let me instance in the greatest of his Sufferings, his very dying was the Product both of the freeness of his Love, and the Majesty of his Power, John 10.17, 18. Rev. 1.5. In the third place, Both Christ's active and passive Righteousness, what he did, and what he suffered, partake in common of the form of satisfaction; therefore, they are both integral parts, or joint Ingredients thereof; for forma dat esse: but this brings me to the second Enquiry. 2. Query, What is the form of Christ's Satisfaction, or that which renders it Satisfactory? I answer, the infinite Merit of what he did and suffered; which infinite Merit stands, 1. In the dignity of his Person; the fullness of the Godhead dwelled in him bodily, Col. 2.9. John 1.14. Now for the work of a Servant to be done by the Lord of all, renders his Active; and for him to suffer as a Malefactor between Malefactors, who was God blessed for evermore, renders also his passive Righteousness infinitely Meritorious; no wonder the Blood of Christ cleanseth from all Sin, for it is the Blood of God, Acts 20.28. 1 John 1.7. And this is the Reason why the Righteousness of one, redounds unto all for the justification of life, Rom. 5.18, 19 because his active and passive Righteousness is infinitely of more value, than all, that the Creatures in Heaven and Earth could have done, or suffered to Eternity; the very Man Christ Jesus is above all the Angels, Heb. 1.6. for he is the Man that is God's fellow, Zech. 13.7. And this infinite Worthiness of the Redeemer's Person, you have excellently described, as irradiating, and infinitely exalting all he did and suffered, Phil. 2.6, 7, 8, 9 Heb. 7.24, 25, 28. 2. The active and passive Righteousness of Christ are of infinite Merit, because not at all due, but both mere supererrogations of an infinitely glorious Person. And First, For his active Righteousness, it stood in his Obedience to the Ceremonial and Moral Laws. 1. His Obedience to the Ceremonial Law was a mere supererrogation, for the Substance to comply with the Shadows, the Antitype to do homage to its own Types; besides, he submitted to those very Ordinances, whose End and Institution supposeth Gild, and whose Nature argues them designed only for the use of Sinners; what foreskin of Impurity had he to be cut off in Circumcision? what Filth to be washed away in Baptism? Did the holy Child Jesus defile his Mother's Womb. as common Mortals do, that are conceived in Sin, and brought forth in Iniquity? And yet he was Circumcised and Baptised, and his Mother offered for her Purification, Luke 1.21, 22. chap. 3.21. No imaginable Obligation lay on him to these Submissions, being to him mere cyphers wholly insignificant. 2. His Obedience to the Moral Law: Although it must be granted, that as Man, it was his Duty, Gal. 4.4. yet was it not his Duty to become Man. True, a Creature's homage was due from him, when a Creature; a Servant's Work, when in the form of a Servant: but the whole was free and Arbitrary, because his entering into that State was so: for, what but his own infinite Love could ever move the Eternal Word, to pitch his Tent in our Nature? What Obligation lay on the Heir of all things, to take the form of a Servant? Who bond the Eternal Son of God, to become in the fullness of time the Son of Man? And as his active Righteousness, so Secondly, His Passive too was a mere Supererrogation; for his Almighty Father's Holy, Allseeing Eye, could never espy the least Iniquity in him to punish: What had the Divine Justice to do with him? for he was a sinless Person, he suffered not for himself, Dan. 9.26. No, for us, 2 Cor. 5.21. And therefore, since no Obligation lay on him to do what he did, or to suffer what he suffered, he may impute the Merit both of the one, and the other, to whomsoever, and upon what terms soever he and his Father please. But before I come to consider the terms upon which Christ's Satisfaction is applied, I must answer some Questions, and clear the Scruples in the way. 1. Object. 1. What is become of the Law of that first Covenant made with Adam in Paradise? Gen. 2.17. repeated again to the Jews, Deut. 27.26. The sum of which you have fully expressed, Ezek. 18.4. The soul that sinneth, it shall die. I answer, It is not fully executed, nor abrogated, but released, or dispensed with. First, It is not fully executed; for there is no Condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus, etc. Rom. 8.1. Secondly, It is not abrogated; for it is in part executed upon Believers; they are liable to the first, or natural Death, which is the wages of sin, although the second death hath no power over them; besides all manner of Chastisements and Afflictions, Psal. 89.30, 31, 32. And also that Law is totally executed upon finally Impenitent Unbelievers, over whom not the first only, but the second Death also hath Power, 2 Thess. 1.8. For he that believeth not, is condemned already, John 3.18. That is, the Gospel finds him, and every one in a state of Condemnation; but those who believe, it proclaims Deliverance to; those, who through Unbelief reject it (judging themselves unworthy of everlasting Life, see Acts 13.46.) it leaves such as it found them; viz, under the Condemnation of the old Covenant, since they refuse the pardoning Mercy of the New. Thirdly, I answer therefore positively, That the first Covenant is released, and dispensed with, by super-inducing a New Covenant of Grace over it, That whosoever closeth with, and comes into the terms of the New, should be exempted from the Rigour and Extremity, i. e. from the Eternal Condemnation of the old, John 3.16. It is not said, He that believes shall not be Sick, shall not be Afflicted, shall not Die; No, but he shall not perish. Thus you see the Covenant of Works, as to its Execution upon such as are in the Covenant of Grace, is in the chief part restrained; but yet in some part inflicted: They never shall complain under the Eternal and Destructive; yet they do complain under the Temporal and Corrective Punishment of their Sins, Lam. 3.39. Yet more particularly for the clearer understanding of this, we must consider that the first Covenant lays a double Obligation on sinful Man. First, In reference to what is past; and here it requires Satisfaction and Reparation from us, for our Sin in breaking it. And Secondly, In reference to the future: after such Satisfaction and amends made, it requires perfect Conformity still as at first, absolute Obedience to all God's Commands, being the Eternal Debt of the reasonable Creature to that God that made it in his own Image: if therefore we could (which hath already been proved to be impossible) ever have satisfied God's injured Law for our past breach, the Law would still have come upon us for future, exact Conformity to pay the residue of that Eternal Debt: and its Language would be, Sin no more, lest a worse thing befall thee: as a Felon, though burnt in the Hand, is yet bound to live honestly for the future at his Peril. Now the New Covenant of Grace relieves us as to both these Cases, and dispenses with the Rigour of the Law. As to the first, It comforts us with the good News, That the Son of God hath satisfied his Father's Justice; and if we believe but in him, God will accept of us, as if we had satisfied in our own Persons. The case the Law leaves us in, is well-expressed, Isa. 33.14. and Heb. 10.51. But the relief the Gospel brings us in St. Paul's Language, Rom. 8.33, 34. You have both together excellently, Ezek. 33.10, 11. As to the second Obligation, the New Covenant dispenseth with the Rigour of that too: for, woe to a justified and pardoned Person, if he must lose all again, upon the least defailance: therefore the Gospel proclaims pardon of Sin upon Repentance, and acceptance of sincere Endeavours to obey him. God's Language now is, Sinners be but in good earnest, do but love me hearty, and my Ways: let me but see a Childlike Ingenuity in you, and I will put down your upright, though imperfect Performances, in the Book of my Remembrance, Mal. 3.16. and blot out your Transgressions, when repent of, out of the Book of my Remembrance. Mandata Dei tanquam facta reputantur, quando quicquid non fit ignoscitur. Thus doth the Candour of the Gospel dispense with the Rigour of the Law: God deals not with us as an Aegpptian Taskmaster, but as a Father with his Children whom he loves: Christ's yoke is easy, his burden light. Object. 2. If any doubt how it stands with God's Veracity, and Immutability, having once declared, that the Soul that sinneth shall die, to contradict it by declaring that, He that believeth shall never die, but have Eternal Life, John 11.26. I answer, We must look upon Threaten as a part of the Law, declaring the dueness of the Punishment, what the Offender hath deserved to suffer; not as Predictions of the Event, any more than Thou shalt, and Thou shalt not, in the Command, are Predictions: but only are expressive of the dueness of Obedience. Nor will it hence follow, that we have the least cause once to suspect that God may (if he please) to revoke his Promises, as well as his Threaten; and then, what would become of us? for there is a wide difference in their essential Natures and Properties. In a Promise, the Obligation lies upon the Party promising; he hath passed away his own Liberty, and the thing is now no longer his, but the others, who may, if he please, release, and quit-claim to his Pretensions; he may dispense with, and surrender his own Right; but if he claim his Right to, and Interest in the Benefit, by virtue of the Promise, it cannot be detained without notorious Wrong and Injury, which, God forbidden we should charge him with; for he were not God, if he were not infinitely true and faithful. How should he else judge the world? But now the Obligation unto Punishment lies contraily upon the Sinner threatened; he hath passed away his own Indemnity, and given God the right of punishing him: I say the Right, not the Necessity; if God will claim this Right, he may; but if he please, he may dispense with it. It is no Injury if he punisheth; yet no Obligation lies upon him but his own Honour, And that, indeed, obligeth him not, never to dispense with his Law; but never to dispense with it upon a light Cause, or upon Terms misbecoming his Glorious Attributes. And the Dispensation we now speak of is an honourable one; for 1. There are weighty Inducements moving God hereunto. If he had not dispensed with the rigour of it. First, He had lost the opportunity of the highest possible way of glorifying his own Goodness, which now so infinitely endears him to the World, and lays such Obligations on us to admire and adore him. Secondly, As all Israel lamented over Benjamin, Judg. 21.6. that a Tribe was lost; so the Creation would have missed a Tribe; which is the reason some Divines have given why Christ took not on him the nature of Angels, but the seed of Abraham; because, only some of the Angelical Tribe lost their Birthright; only some kept not their first estate; but, man being in honour continued not, but became like the Beast that perisheth. Thirdly, All Religion had been extinguished, and frozen by Despair unavoidably; if there had been no Hope, the Fear of God, his Worship and Service had for ever utterly perished from off the Earth. But now his Name is excellent in all the earth; even that Name proclaimed to Moses, Exod. 34.6. The Lord is known in Judah, and his Name is great in Israel, Psal. 79.1. 2. As the Causes inducing are weighty, so the Terms on which he dispenseth with his Law are as honourable; which was our third Query propounded in the opening the Point. For, since Christ Redeemed us, not by way of Solution (strictly) as a Surety, paying the Debtor's proper Debt to the Creditor; but by way of Satisfaction, as a Mediator and Intercessor, offering a valuable Consideration to the offended Judge of the World, in lieu of the Laws executing the Penalty threatened upon the Sinner: It necessarily follows, that no Right at all in the Benefits of this Satisfaction can accrue to the Delinquent, but upon such Terms precisely as the offended Party, and the Mediator that satisfieth him, shall agree unto; and upon mutual Treaty and Com-promise, jointly ratify; so that Justification by way of Satisfaction provides, not only the Sinner's Indemnity, but in such a manner, as also to consult the Interests and Honour both of the Party satisfying, and satisfied; and this latter is the rule and measure of exhibiting the former, and of making over the Satisfaction for discharge of the Offender. Query 3. What are the Terms therefore upon which both God and Christ have agreed to justify Sinners? I answer: First, Faith, which is a hearty receiving Christ as he is tendered by the Gospel; and here the Soul quits all Pretensions of being justified by any Righteousness of its own, and rolls itself upon the Lord its Righteousness; and therefore hath Faith the honour to be the justifying Grace, because it so highly honoureth Christ; it is the Nuptial Knot whereby the Soul joins itself to its Lord-Redeemer in an everlasting Marriage-Covenant, it denies itself, and forsakes all its other Lovers, and clasps about its Lord and Husband, as it's all in all. Look what a Wife doth in a Marriage-Covenant to her Husband, that doth a Soul in believing unto Christ, it saith unto him, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thou art my Husband, Hos. 2.16. And he saith unto his Spouse, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 you are my People. But then this justifying Faith hath two Daughters that inseparably attend her. 1. Repentance: Here sinful Man retracts and undoes his Faults, cries peccavi, weeps, wrings his Hands, smites upon his Breast, and cries, What have I done? Laments after the Lord, and abhors himself in Dust and Ashes: He calls himself Fool, mad Man, Beast, Traitor to his God, and to his Soul: In a word, executes the Law upon himself; and since God excuseth him from the Punishment, he accuseth himself of the Gild, and condemns himself to the shame of his Sin; and hereby the Sinner honours the Equity of the threatening by his Tears, acknowledging that his Blood was due. 2. Newness of Life; Here the Sinner acknowledgeth perfect Obedience to be still his Duty; this honours the Equity of God's Commandments. And the Redeemer, by making this one of the Conditions of the Gospel-Covenant, hath given his Father his Law back again; he doth not repeal it; no, it's still the rule of Life, and every Commandment still obligeth a Believer. Christ hath only released us from the condemning Power of it, not the commanding Power of it. We must still press after Perfection; but, though we fall short of it, we shall not die for it: Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the Law, being made a curse for us; but hath left us under the Government and Command of the Law. The whole matter is excellently expressed, 1 John 2.1. My little Children, these things I writ unto you; that you sin not; and if any man fen, we have an Advocate with the Father Jesus Christ the righteous. 3. Having thus discoursed to the three general Points first propounded, and shown, that the Person justified is charged with Gild: And, Secondly, that he pleads to the Charge, (where I have largely opened the nature of that Plea) I come now to the third general Point, to show how upon his Plea he is discharged, or justified. A Sinner is then actually justified, when he is constituted, or made Righteous in Law. Righteousness is a Conformity to the Law; he that fulfils the Law, is Righteous in the Eye of that Law; he is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, within the Protection of it; as he that transgresseth the Law, is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Guilty in the Eye of the Law, and without the Protection of it. Now the Law of the New Covenant runs thus, He that believeth shall not perish, so, that a Believer keeps and fulfils this Law; and therefore Faith is imputed to him for Righteousness, Rom. 4.22, 23, 24. because Faith is the keeping of the New Covenant, which therefore is called the Law of Faith, Rom. 3.27. in opposition to the Old Covenant, called there by the Apostle, the Law of Works. As therefore Innocency, or perfect Obedience, would have justified Adam, had he stood by virtue of the Law of Works, or Old Covenant, whose Tenor is, Obey, and Live, for than he had fulfilled that Law; and as his Disobedience actually condemned him by virtue of the same Law,— Disobey, and die for it, Gen. 2.17. So now, believing in Christ justifieth, by virtue of the Law of Faith; for it is the keeping and fulfilling of the Gospel-Covenant, whose Tenor is, Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved: And again, Unbelief actually condemneth by virtue of the same Law,— He that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the Name of the only begotten Son of God, John 3.18. That is, because the Unbeliever is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, without the Protection of the Gospel, or Law of Faith, he cometh not up to its Righteousness; he is condemned already, as a Sinner, by the Law of Works; and yet once more with a Witness, condemned as an unbeliever, as a Monster that hath twice been accessary to his own Murder: First, in wounding himself, and Secondly, in refusing to be healed: The Law of Works includes us all under Sin, we are all dead, our Case was desperate; but God who is rich in mercy, through his great love wherewith he hath loved us, Ephes. 2.4. (his immense 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉) when we were dead in Sins and Trespasses, hath sent his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him, should not perish, but have everlasting life, John 3.16. And this is that Law according to which he will judge the World; according to my Gospel, faith Paul, Rom. 2.27. Every Believer therefore, though he wants the Righteousness of the Law of Works (viz. Innocency) yet he shall not be condemned, because he hath the Righteousness of the Gospel (viz. Faith) which is the New Law in force, according to which, God now dealeth with us, and shall judge the World at the last day. And here it will be richly worth our very heedful Observation, that although a Believer hath not the Righteousness of the Law of Works, inherent in himself: (for if he had, he were not a Sinner, but should be justified by that Law) yet by Faith he lays hold upon Christ's Satisfaction, which in the very Eye of the Law of Works is an unexceptionably Perfect, and infinitely glorious Righteousness: So that Faith justifieth us even at the Bar of the Law of Works, Ratione objecti, as it lays hold on Christ's Satisfaction, which, is our legal Righteousness; it justifieth us at the Bar of the Gospel, or Law of Faith, formaliter, & ratione sui, as it is Covenanting-keeping, or a fulfilling of the Gospel-Law: For, he that keeps a Law is Righteous, where that Law is Judge, the Lawmaker by his very making of the Law, makes him Righteous, and the Judge that pronounceth according to the Law (for a Judge is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉) will infallibly pronounce him so. But that with all requisite Distinctness we may apprehend this great Affair, let us take a view of some of the most considerable and important Causes which concur to the producing this excellent Effect, the discharge and justification of a Sinner, and state their several Interests and Concernments in their respective Influences upon, and Contributions towards it. And First, 1 1. How free grace justifieth. The free Grace of God is the first Wheel that sets all the rest in motion. It's Contribution is that of a Proegumenal Cause, or Internal Motive, disposing God to send his Son, Joh. 3.16. That sinners (believing) might be justified freely by his grace, through the Redemption that is in Christ Jesus, Rom. 3.24. For Christ died not to render God good (he was so Eternally) but that with the Honour of his Justice he might exert and display his Goodness, which contrived and made its self this way to break forth into the World. Secondly, 2 2. How Christ's Satisfaction. Christ's Satisfaction is doubly concerned in our Justification. 1. In respect of God, as a Procatartick Cause of infinite Merit, and Impetrative Power; for the sake of which God is reconciling himself unto the World in Christ, not imputing their Trespasses unto them, 2 Cor. 5.19. 2. In respect of the Law of Works, Christ's Satisfaction justieth us formally, as our proper legal Righteousness; I call it our Righteousness, because it becomes imputed to us upon our Believing; Faith being our Gospel Title, by pleading which, we lay claim to all the Benefits accrueing from the Merit of Christ's Performance, to all Effects, Uses and Purposes, as if it had been personally our own; I call it our legal Righteousness, because, thereby the Law of God owns itself fully paid, and acquiesceth in it, as in full Reparations and Amends made unto it, for the injury and dishonour received by the Sin of Man. We must plead this against all the Challenges and Accusations of the Law: who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's Elect? it is Christ that died, etc. Rom. 8.33. And thus our legal Righteousness required in the first Covenant, that of Works, is wholly without us in our Redeemer, yet imputed upon our Account. Thirdly, The Gospel justifieth quâ Lex lata, 3 3. How the Gospel. as it is the Law of Faith; for the very Tenor of the Gospel-Covenant, is, Believe, and thou shalt be saved. Fourthly, Faith justifieth vi Legis latae, 4 4. How Faith. as it is our Evangelical Righteousness, or our keeping the Gospel-Law? for that Law suspends Justification upon Believing. Faith pretends to no Merit or Virtue of its own, but professedly avows its dependence upon the Merit of Christ's Satisfaction, as our legal Righteousness, on which it layeth hold, nor can it show any other Title to be itself our Evangelical Righteousness, but only God's Sanction, who chose this Act of believing to the honour of being the Justifying Act, because it so highly honoureth Christ; so that as a most judicious Pen expresseth it, the Act of Believing is as the Silver; but God's Authority in the Gospel-Sanction, is the King's Coin, or Image Stamped upon it, which gives it all its value as to Justification. Without this Stamp it could never have been currant; and if God had set this Stamp on any other Grace as Love, that then would have been currant, and have justified us as Faith doth now. Fifthly, God justifieth in a proper sense two ways: 5 5. How God. First, As a Legislator: Secondly, As a Judge. 1. As a Legislator, enacting by his Sovereign Authority, that fweet and gracious Law of the New Covenant, by virtue of whose Tenor, every Sinner that believes is justified from the Gild of Sin; from which he could not be justified by the Law of Moses, Acts 13.38, 39 This Law of Justification by Faith, is God's own Act and Deed, the great Instrumentum pacis, between God and Man: he hath proclaimed his Letters Patents; the King of Heaven and Earth hath in the Gospel (our Magna Charta) given his Warrant under his own Broad Seal, That he that believeth shall not be condemned. 2. As a Judge, the God of Heaven may in three respects be said to justify a Believer. First, Forthwith upon his Believing, God owneth him secretly within himself, as a Person justified; God esteems and approves of him as in that state, unto which he hath, by believing a Title good in Law, an indefeasible Right; a justified Estate emergeth actually, as soon as Faith; the Law-Title thereunto emergeth as a necessary Resultance by virtue of the Tenor of the Gospel-Law, which only justified Virtually, Potentially, and Conditionally before every Believer in general; but now Actually, Absolutely, and in particular, it justifieth him as a Believer when he is so. Secondly, At the moment of Dissolution God justifieth as the Judge of all the Earth, passing a private Sentence and Award unto everlasting Life upon every believing Soul. Thirdly, But Eminently at the last Day, when the Ancient of Days shall take the Throne, and in open Court, before the whole Creation, by public Sentence for ever acquit and discharge Believers at that great and last Assizes. Sixthly, 6 6. How Works. Shall I need to add, that Works are said to justify us? Jam. 2.4. because they justify our Faith, or demonstrate before God and Man, and to our own Consciences, that our Faith is not a dead and barren, but a true and living one by its fruitfulness in well-doing. Seventhly, 7 7. How the Spirit. But I must not forget, Lastly, That the Spirit of God is said to justify us, 1 Cor. 6.11. and that two ways. First, Directly, by working Faith in the Heart, which is one of the Fruits of the Spirit, Gal. 5.22. Now, Causa causae est etiam causa causati; the Spirit justifieth as it is the Author of the justifying Grace. Secondly, Reflexibly: The Divine Spirit clears up Justification to a Believer's Conscience, by discovering the truth of Faith, by working Assurance, and by sealing a Believer to the day of Redemption. The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirits, that we are the Children of God; and if Children, than heirs, etc. Rom. 8.16, 17. Thus I have at length done with my first Task, the opening of the Point, which finds its self summed up in this Definition; Justification is a judicial act of God, as Lawgiver and Judge of the world, graciously discharging a Believer for the sake of Christ's satisfaction, from the condemnation of the Law of Works, by the tenor of the Gospel-Law, or New Covenant, which requireth of, accepteth from, imputeth unto sinner's faith in Christ Jesus as their righteousness; see Rom. 3.25, 6, 7, 8. Rom. 4.5. Phil. 3.9. Use. Refut. To improve it now (which was my other Task) by way of Refutation, I infer against the Antinomians, First, That Justification is not from Eternity. 1. Because a person must be charged with Gild before he is justified or discharged; but nothing can be before Eternity; if discharged from Eternity, when was he charged? what, from Eternity too? then he will be at once eternally charged with, and discharged from Gild, which, if any excuse from a Contradiction, they are much wiser than I am. 2. My Text convinceth them, actual Faith is not from Eternity, therefore not Justification before God; for if Faith justify us not before God, but only at the Bar of Conscience; then there will be no Justification at God's Bar at all once mentioned in Scripture; for Works do it at Man's Bar. What is it I wonder that justifieth from Eternity? Not God's Decree to justify; for than his Decree to glorify, would make Glorification from Eternity too;— but Decreta Dei nihil ponúnt actu in subjecto. God's Decrees are immanent Acts, and pass nothing actually upon the Creature. 3. A justified person was actually under Condemnation whilst he was an Unbeliever, Rom. 3.18. He that believeth not, is condemned already; but he could not be at all Condemned, if justified from Eternity. 4. Saint Paul expressly affirms, that the believing Corinthians were not once, but now were justified, 1 Cor. 6.11. Such were some of you, but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the Name of the Lord Jesus, etc. Secondly, I infer against them, that are dangerously mistaken, in thinking that a Believer is Righteous in the sight of God, with the selfsame active and passive Righteousness wherewith Christ was Righteous, as though Believers suffered in Christ, and obeyed in Christ, and were as Righteous in God's Esteem as Christ himself, having his personal Righteousness made personally theirs by Imputation. This is their fundamental mistake, and from hence (tanquam ex equo Trojano) issue out a throng of such false and corrupt Deductions and Consequences as these. That God sees no Sin in his Children; that Affliction and Death are not proper Punishments of Sin to Believers: that all future Sins are already actually forgiven, as well as past and present; that a Believer must not pray for the Pardon of Sin, but only for the manifestation of it; that God loved Noah when drunk; Lot, when so, and beside incestuous; David, when acting Adultery and Murder; Peter, when he was cursing and swearing, and denying Christ, with as high a love of Complacency and Delight, as when conversant in the most spiritual Exercises of Grace; that all which God requires as a Sinner's Duty in the Gospel, is to believe that Christ died absolutely for him in particular; that this is all true Gospel-Faith; and the doubting or questioning this, the unbelief which the Gospel so much condemneth; that, to argue our Justification from our Sanctification, and gather assurance of God's Love from our Love and Fear of him, is a legal Principle; that Obedience to God's Commandments is not properly a Believer's Debt, but, that all the Obligation which lies upon him to Holiness, is only the voluntary expression of his love and gratitude to God, not as what is due, but what is comely: And lastly, (for I should be tired to name all) that Christ hath kept the Gospel-Covenant for us, as well as satisfied the Law; so that not only our Legal Righteousness is without us in Christ our Surety, but our Evangelical Righteousness itself also. Now to pluck up all these desperate Consequences by the Root, there needs no more than a right understanding of the true and proper Notion, and manner of Christ's redeeming us; it is not by way of Solution, but of Satisfaction. Clearly thus, our Case to God is not properly that of Debtors, but that of criminal Subjects. God's Aspect to us-ward, not properly that of a Creditor, but that of a Rector and Judge: The person Christ sustained, and the part he acted, not in a strict sense that of a Surety, paying the very Debt in kind, and so discharging a Bond; but that of a Mediator expiating our Gild, and making Reparations to Divine Justice another way than by the execution of the Law. And indeed, the very nature of a Law is such, as it is quite impossible that the Obligation either of its Threatening or Command, should in a proper sense be fulfilled, by any other than the very person threatened and commanded; alias here makes aliud. If another suffer the Penalty, the threatening is not fulfilled: Nor if another performs the Duty, the Command: for the Obligation as to Punishment lies on the person threatened (noxa caput sequitur) and that to Duty on the person Commanded, it cannot be fulfilled in kind by another, but it ceases to be the same thing, and becomes another thing from that in the Obligation; yet it may be such another thing (and Christ's Righteousness (both active and passive) really is such) as the Rector or Judge may accept of with Honour, and be satisfied with, as if the very same thing had been suffered and done just in the same manner, as the Law threatened and commanded it. That Christ hath paid not the Idem, but Tantundem, i. e. not fulfilled the Law (as for us) in kind, but satisfied it for us, is most evident. For, 1. The Law obliged the Sinner's person to suffer; Christ was no Sinner. 2. All Men to suffer, forasmuch as all had Sinned; Christ was but one Man. 3. The Punishment due by Law was Eternal; Christ suffered but for a season, and is entered into his Glory; thus Christ paid not the same thing that was in the Obligation, but something equivalent thereunto. This being obtained, that the Lord Christ hath Redeemed us, not by way of Solution, or discharging a Bond, by payment in kind, but by way of Satisfaction, or making Amends to the injured Justice of the Law: It follows from the Reason and Nature of the thing: 1. That God pardons freely; we are not only beholding to Christ for satisfying, but to God too infinitely, for accepting of any Satisfaction at all; he might have refused it; he had done Sinners no wrong if he had executed the Rigour of the Law, without harkening to terms of Reconciliation. Quite contrary, a Creditor doth not pardon the Debtor, when the Surety hath discharged the Bond by full payment in kind; the Debtor is beholding indeed to his Friend the Surety, but not all to the Creditor, who cannot refuse to cancel the Bond; nay, it were wrong and injustice in him if he did. 2. That none hath, or can have actual Interest in, or Benefit by this Redemption, but upon such terms as God and Christ have mutually compromised in, and agreed to, viz. the conditions of the Gospel-Covenant . See the answer to the third Query. 1. The Reason hereof is partly from God, the injured Lawgiver of the World; who seeing it was at his liberty to accept of Satisfaction or no, hath of necessity the right to make his own terms, when, and how far forth, and in what manner and method he will condescend to admit the Sinner to the actual benefit of Christ's Satisfaction. 2. And partly too from Christ; for as he is the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, or Mediator between God and Man, a friend to both Parties; nay, a person consisting of both Natures; the offended and offending; he is engaged necessarily by virtue both of Office and Person, to espouse with equal tenderness of regard the Interests of both Parties; for he is really concerned in them both; they are his Concernments as well as theirs. True indeed, a Surety that dischargeth a Bond by full payment in kind, he sustains and bears only the person of the Debtor, minds only his Indemnity, doth what he doth upon his Account, and for his sake. But our great Mediator must consult not only our Impunity, but his Father's, yea, and his own Honour; and therefore 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, get you hence all you that either yet never did, or that do not now repent, believe, and conscientiously endeavour to obey; here's not the least jot of Benefit for you in the case you are in, from this Redemption: for, how infinite soever the Merit of Christ's Satisfaction is, it conferreth nothing actually upon any person that hath not actually a Gospel-claim and Title to plead it before God. The immediate effect actually resulting from Christ's performance, is the procuring the Gospel-Covenant to be ratified by his Father, as a Law, whereby Sinners upon the terms propounded, become reconcileable unto God; actually it is of force to all that have, but to none that want the Conditions of it. Now the keeping this Gospel-Covenant, God expects from us in person (tho' by the Assistance of his Spirit, which he hath promised to give to them that humbly and earnestly ask it of him, Luke 11.1.) To affirm that Christ hath kept the Gospel for us too, is to utter the most self-contradicting Blasphemy and Absurdity imaginable; as if he could repent, or believe in himself, free, except, or cancel our Obligation to obey the Moral Law, by his own obeying it; as if Christ had so done all, that nothing remains to be done on our part. Such strange extremes do some Men run into, that to avoid Justification by Works (by an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉) are as yet extravagant on the other hand, thinking the Grace of God cannot be free, except the Sinner become either a senseless Statue, merely passive, or (which is yet worse) have a writ of ease to be quite idle, or (which is worst of all) a Licence to Sin by Prerogative. Let the Apostles 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 chastise this Insolence, Rom. 6.15 shall we sin because we are not under the Law, but under grace? God forbidden. If Christ had obeyed the Law for us in the sense of paying a Debt, or discharging a Bond, the Apostles answer could not stand, Rom. 3.31. Do●●e them make void the Law through Faith? yea, we establish the Law. When a Believer breaks the Law, he Sins (for sin is the transgression of the Law) nay, he cannot break it wilfully, but he breaks the very Gospel-Covenant (one Condition whereof is sincere Obedience) and the guilt of that sin lieth upon him unpardoned, until by hearty Repentance, and fresh Applications by Faith to the Blood of sprinkling (which are the only Titles good in Law, the only Gospel-claims to Pardon) he hath sued out a new Pardon (for actual Remission is only of past Sins, Rom. 3.25.) according to the Tenor of the New Covenant, which is a perpetual Law of pardoning, repenting and believing Sinners, whomsoever, whensoever, but as such. Neither was Christ's suffering like the cancelling of a Bond, a total discharge of us, from suffering the Penalty threatened in the Law; we die still, and Afflictions are Punishments still. True indeed upon Christ's Satisfaction made, God and he are agreed, that a believing Sinner should not be punished with the everlasting destructive Penalty threatened (for whosoever believes shall not perish) Joh. 3.16. but they are not, that he shall not be, for he is punished with the temporal corrective Punishments of the threatening, as Sickness, and natural Death; yet, even these (through infinite Goodness so ordering and disposing it) prove much more a Benefit, than a Penalty to a Believer. Use 2. What cause have we then with the lowest and profoundest Humility, to adore the Majesty of the living God? First, To adore his Holiness. Reverence those eyes of his, that are purer than that they can endure to behold iniquity, Hab. 1.13. Let this God be thy dread and awe. Dare not to make a mock of Sin; tremble at the horrid Gild and sinfulness of the least Sin; look upon it as an Affront and Treason against an Eternal Majesty, as worthy the Curse of the Law, and the Wrath of an Almighty God, as that which could not be expiated at a lesser rate than the Blood of God, Acts 20.28. Secondly, To adore his Wisdom in finding out such a person to satisfy his Justice as our Redeemer; consider here, that God could not suffer, could not die; nay, could not (properly) satisfy himself; (for it had not been a Satisfaction to his Justice at all, but mere Mercy; and so no Justification of a Sinner, but mere Pardon, if the person satisfying had been only God.) Again, consider, that a mere Creature could never satisfy, as I before demonstrated a mere Creature had perished in the Attempt, would have been overwhelmed, and crushed to pieces with that insupportable Load, the guilt of Sin, and the wrath of God. The person therefore that must satisfy, must neither be Finite, nor Infinite, neither the Creature, nor the Creator; neither God nor Man; yet must be both. Here now, the Understandings of Men and Angels must have been tried to all Eternity, and lost for ever in a bottomless Gulf ●● Horror and Amazement to find out such a Person. O the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God Rom. 11.33. see also Ephes. 1.7, 8. fully hereunto. Thirdly, To adore the Infinite Riches of his Grace, Rom. 3.24. in Justification; and here consider, 1. God might have let man alone, seized the forfeiture; as the Tree fell, it might have lain for ever; what obliged God to accept of Satisfaction? 2. The Redeemer hath trodden the Wine press alone; what ever was done in this Satisfaction, he did it; Of the People there was none with him. The Sinner hath not the least hand in it, could not pay one, Christ paid every one to the utmost farthing. Thirdly, It was the Judge himself who contrived this way to Justify us, and it was at his cost, he gave his Son; herein God commended his Love to us, as Abraham once did his faith to God, in that he spared not his Son, his only begotten Son whom he Loved. So that if we rightly weigh it, it will appear, that by how much the Satisfaction is the fuller, by so much the pardon is the freer; by how much his Justice is the more, by so much too is his mercy the more glorified, and still, still infinitely the more are we obliged. Use 3. Consol. Here's unspeakable comfort for every humble, though doubting Soul, every contrite Spirit that Hunger's and Thirsts after Righteousness. First, Consider how full Satisfaction Christ hath made, he is able to save to the utmost all that come to God through him; he is the beloved Son in whom the Father is well-pleased; all power is committed into his hands; God hath exalted him to be a Prince, and a Saviour to give Repentance, and Remission of sins. Secondly, Consider he inviteth thee as a Sinner to come in unto this Gospel-righteousness, in the general tenor of his Proclamation, Whosoever believes, etc. If any man Sin, we have an Advocate with the Father, etc. 1 Joh. 2.1, 2. An whosoever, excludes none that excludes not himself. Thirdly, Consider Christ assures thee (that art the Person I now speak to) he who is the Truth assures thee thou shalt be welcome: Mat. 11.28. Come unto me all ye that labour, and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest, etc. This is your very case: Hark, the Master calleth you, will you not be of good courage, and Go, when he saith Come! he that never yet cast out any that came unto him, that never will, he saith so himself; Thou mayst believe him, he never broke his Word yet, he will not begin with thee, he cannot deny himself. Fourthly, Consider those standing Monuments of God's free Justifying grace that are on record in the Scripture. What hath been done, may be done again: Nay, will be done again (in the case we speak of) by the God that changeth not; God hath pardoned as great Sinners; see Ephraim's case Jer. 31.18. see the Corinthians example, 1 Cor. 6.10, 11. see Paul's, 1 Tim. 1.13. Whoever goes and doth likewise, shall receive likewise; for Christ is yesterday and to day, and the same for ever. Fifthly, Consider it is the very design of God in giving his Son, and of Christ in giving himself to die for us, to Justify such as thou art, Isa. 16.1. Luk. 4.19, 20. Jer. 3.12. 1. John 5.9. Use 4. Exhort. First, To the Unconverted. Use 4. Exhort. Let me then beseech Sinners not to love Death; Why should iniquity be your ruin? There is Balm in Gilead, there is a Physician there? Why are ye unwilling to be healed? Turn ye, Turn ye, why will ye die? Would it be a hard matter to persuade a Condemned Person to be willing not to be Executed, were he not distracted? If having a pardon offered upon the easy Terms of confessing his fault, and serious promising Amendment, he should bid the Prince keep his Pardon to himself; for his part, he was in love with his Chains, he would not be Released, he would die. Thou art the man whoever thou art that neglectest Gospel-grace; what Fury and Raging madness is it that thou art Guilty of? Thy Soul with all its Eternal interests lies at Stake, and as if it were neither here nor there, what became of thee for ever, thou despisest the riches of God's forbearance, after thy hardness and impenitent heart, treasuring up wrath against the day of wrath; Rom. 2.4, 5. Is it well done of thee Sinner? is this thy kindness to thy own Soul? is this thy thanks to thy Redeemer? How inexcusable art thou? thyself being Judge, thou canst not answer it to thy Conscience, to thy God, with the least Colour or Shadow of a reason. God sends his Gospel Proclaiming,— Repent ye, and be converted, that your sins may be blottted out: Acts 3.19. His Ministers Proclaiming,— We then are Ambassadors of Christ, as though God did beseech you by us; we pray you in Christ's stead be ye reconciled unto God, 2 Cor. 5. Why dost thou hate thy Soul, and say I will not? why wilt thou not? Is it because it doth not concern thee? or because Eternal Life and Death are trifles, small, little things, not worth thy considering? or doth any body hinder thee? No, no; our Saviour gives the true account, Ye will not come unto me that ye might have life. Let me entreat this small request of thee for God's sake, for thine own, take the next opportunity, and spend half an hour alone; let thy Spirit accomplish a diligent search, pursue this inquiry to some Issue; am I Justified or no? if not, what will become of me, if it should happen (sometimes such things fall out) that I should die now presently? I cannot promise myself that I shall see to morrow morning. Thus go on and bring it to something before thou leavest; give not over till thou art not only clearly convinced of, but hearty affected with thy Gild; not only to see, but seel thyself to be the Man who art undone without an Interest in this Justification. Be in good earnest; thou canst not mock thy God; and is there any Wisdom in mocking and cheating thy own Soul? What thou dost, do it hearty as unto the Lord, as for thy life, as one that would not rue thy self-deceiving folly, when it cannot be recalled; and if thou art hearty and serious in these Reflections, 1. Thou wilt deeply humble thyself before the Majesty of the Judge of all the Earth, with that self-abhorrence and Confusion, that becomes one who feels himself (even himself being Judge) most righteously condemned. 2. Thou wilt Solicit and Assail the Throne of Grace with all redoubled favours, and Holy Passionate Importunities of Prayer and Supplication, giving God no rest till he hath given thee his Spirit, according to his own promise, Luke 11.13. Ezek. 36.26, 27. To help thee to perform the conditions of the Gospel Covenant, plead his own promise with him. Wrestle with him for a broken and clean Heart; for Faith, for Repentance unto Life; for these are not of thyself, they are the Gift of God, let him not go till he hath Blessed thee with these Blessings in Christ Jesus. This will confound every Sinner at the day of Judgement, that when he might have had grace; yea, the Spirit of Grace for ask; he either asked not, or if he did, it was so coldly, as if he were contented enough to go without. Now if thou art in good earnest, God is I assure thee in full as good earnest as thou; he is ready to meet thee; try but once whether it be in vain to seek him; all that ever tried, found it good to draw near to God, and found him easy to be entreated; he useth not to send the Hungry empty away. He that commands us to work out our Salvation with fear and trembling, he it is that worketh in us both to will and to do of his own good pleasure, Phil. 2.12, 13. Secondly, To them that are the Children of God by faith in Christ Jesus, Let me beseech them, 1. To walk Worthy of God who hath called them to his Kingdom and Glory, to adorn their Holy Profession; take the Exhortation in Paul's words, Col. 2.6. As ye have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him, Receive not this Grace of God in vain; the interest of your comfort obligeth you hereunto; hereby you will know that you know him, that you are in Christ Jesus that there is no condemnation to you, if you walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit, Rom. 8.1. and herein will your Father be glorified, if ye bring forth much fruit; Joh. 15.6. 2. To live up to the Comforts of their State, 1 Joh. 3.1. you are already the Sons of God, it doth not yet appear what you shall be, who shall lay any thing to your charge, it is God that Justifies: who is he that condemns? it is Christ that died, etc. Rom. 8.33. Go eat thy Bread with joy, and put on thy white raiment, God now hath accepted thy works, Eccles. 9.7, 8. I conclude this particular (and the whole Discourse) with the happy effects and proofs of Jufication which every believer hath as good a Right and Title to, as the Gospel itself, the Word of the God of Truth can give him, as I find by those sweet Effects and Consequences set down in my Text, and the words next following it. 1. Therefore being Justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: 2. By whom also we have access by faith, into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the Glory of God. 3. And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also, knowing that tribulation worketh patience: 4. And patience experience: and experience hope: 5. And hope maketh not ashamed, because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts, by the Holy Ghost, which is given unto us. wherefore the righteous shall be glad in the Lord, and all the upright in heart shall glory; Psal. 64.10. FINIS.