Chapter 6
What mysteries are in Justification
What was said in the foregoing chapter may by way of
use, first, discover unto us that kindness and love of God our Savior, that hath appeared unto men, whereof the Apostle
speaks, Titus 3: 4. For this is one remarkable instance thereof, and
calls for admiration and praise from us, upon that account. O! What tenderness,
love, and pity appears here! And what a wonderful
grace is this, that is here manifested? What
condescension of love and free grace is clearly legible in this business? And
how clear and distinct will all this appear to a self condemned sinner,
arraigned in its convinced conscience, before the tribunal of God; and then
sees, in the Gospel, a well contrived way of absolution, and closes with it?
How will all this shine forth unto them with a heavenly luster and majesty? And
how sweetly will their hearts acquiesce in this sure and safe way of obtaining
life?
Secondly,
this may discover unto us, what a manifold wisdom of God is to be seen and
observed, in the Gospel dispensation, that even principalities
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and powers may look into, and wonder at; as it is said to
be made known unto them, by the Church, Ephesians 3: 10. That is, by what they
see and observe, in the administration thereof, in the Church. And in this part
of Gospel-device, there are several things remarkable, that
may give us ground to wonder at this manifold wisdom of God. The whole is a
mystery, and this is a prime part of the mystery, and in this mystery there are
many mysteries, a short view of which may be of some use to us.
1. What
a mysterious and wonderful thing is it, that such, as are dead by Law, lying
under the sentence thereof, and so bound over to the wrath of God, according to
the threatening of the Law, which is just and righteous in all points; and
such, as having nothing to defend themselves by from the threatened death, unto
which they are obnoxious; nor anything, whereby to make satisfaction to the
demands of the Law, or to the offended Law-maker, or where with to appease Him;
should not withstanding hereof be really, formally, and effectually absolved
from the sentence of the Law, by the sentence of the Judge; and so made and
declared to live juridically and in
Law-sense; and to be as free of the curse and penalty of the Law, as if they
had never been guilty of the transgression thereof. And thus is it here indeed.
Such as were dead in trespasses and sins, and in the uncircumcision of the
flesh, are quickened together with Christ, Ephesians 2: 1, 5, Colossians 2: 13.
He who before had the wrath of God on him, and abiding on him, by believing
on the Son of God, hath everlasting life, John 3: 36. And they, who were in a
manner condemned already, yet, by believing on Him, are not condemned, yea have
eternal life, John 3: 15, 18,
2. What
a mystery is this, that God, who is righteous and just, and the righteous Judge
of the world, and who hath declared, that he looks upon it, as an abomination
for any man to justify the wicked Proverbs 17: 15, and whose judgment is always
according to truth, Romans 2: 2, should be one that justifies the ungodly? And
yet so is He said to be, and so is He styled, and so is He held forth, as the
object of faith, Romans 4: 5, But to him that worketh not, but believeth on
Him, that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness. Papists
and others, who will not suffer their reason to follow revelation, but will
measure all the mysteries of the Gospel, by the corrupt rule of reason; and
wiredraw those, according to the dictates of this, pretend an
inconsistency here; and therefore will rather pervert the whole nature of
Gospel-justification, than yield to the Spirit’s revelation of the matter.
Hence it is that they say, a person cannot be justified by God, until he be a
godly man, and have a righteousness within him, upon the account of which he
must be justified; little adverting, that by their own principles it would
follow, that no man should ever be justified: for, seeing God is a God of
righteousness, and it is a sure and certain thing, that His judgment is always
according to truth, He could not absolve a person as righteous, that were not
perfectly righteous, and void of all sin; and where is the man, (not out of his
wits) that dare say this, remembering what David said, Psalm 130: 3 & 143:
2. But here lies the truth and the mystery. Such
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as are really and truly ungodly in themselves, and
have nothing of their own, but unrighteousness within them, and whose
righteousnesses are but as filthy rags, Isaiah 64: 6, are yet justified by God
upon the account of a perfect righteousness, imputed to them, and received by
faith. In the judgment of God, such as in themselves are ungodly, are
considered as clothed with the perfect righteousness of the Mediator, Christ,
that Head and public person, which free grace puts on them, and they receive
and stand under by faith; and so are justified and declared to be righteous by
God, whose judgment herein and sentence is most righteous, and most consonant
to truth: for he justifies such, as are righteous, though not with their own
inherent righteousness, yet with the righteousness of their cautioner, now made
theirs.
3. Here
is another piece of this mystery, that transgressors
of the Law shall be absolved and justified; and yet the Law threatens death to
transgressors, and promises life only to such, as observe it in all points. Who
can reconcile this seeming contradiction, that is not
acquainted with the glorious mystery of the Gospel? Paul, a man well acquainted
with this mystery, tells us expressly, that the Gospel way of justification,
which he preached, and fully cleared in his epistles, derogates nothing from
the Law, but establishes it, Romans 3: 31. Where, after he had cleared and
confirmed the nature and causes of Gospel justification, and had said in verse
30, that He was one God, who would justify the circumcision (or Jews)
by faith, and the uncircumcision (that is the Gentiles) through faith;
He obviates this objection that some might have proposed and said, “What then
shall become of the Law? You make it void, by speaking of faith, and ascribing
justification to it, as a mean, in opposition and contradiction to works.” He
answers, “Do we then make void the Law, through faith? That be far from us,
yea we establish the Law.” So that there is nothing, in this Gospel
justification, that weakens, or makes void the Law; but, on the contrary, it is
thereby more fully confirmed and established: for, what the Law could not
do, in that it was weak, through the flesh, God sending His own Son, in the
likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin condemned sin in the flesh, that the
righteousness of the Law might be fulfilled in us, Romans 8: 2, 3. Here
then is the mystery, transgressors of the Law are justified, upon the account
of what their Mediator, and Surety, their public person and representer did and
suffered, for satisfaction to Law, justice and the Law-giver; and by what He
did and suffered, the Law is more established, then it would have been by
anything that we did, or could suffer; for He made satisfaction to all its
demands; there was perfect obedience given thereunto, and its command answered,
in all points, by our Lord Jesus Christ, who knew no sin, nor was deceit found
in his mouth, II Corinthians 5: 21, Isaiah 53: 9. And because it was violated
by sinners, and the curse threatened was due, therefore, He also satisfied that
demand, by dieing the shameful death of the cross, and undergoing the wrath and
curse due to us for sin; and thereby making a more perfect satisfaction unto
the sanction and threatening part of the Law, than we could have done, by lying
in hell forever more. And by faith, closing with Christ, and resting
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upon Him, as such a satisfying cautioner and redeemer,
the sinner acknowledges the Law, in all its force, confessing himself a
transgressor, and obnoxious to the curse; and now presenting to the Law and
Law-giver the obedience and satisfaction of Christ, whereby both its commands
and sanction are fully answered; and resting thereupon, as the only ground of
his absolution from the sentence of the Law for his guilt, and of his right to
the Crown, which he formerly had forfeited.
4. Here
is another mystery. That such, as are unrighteous, and ungodly, should be
declared and pronounced righteous. In justification, the person is declared not
guilty, of what was laid to his charge, in order to punishment, and that
juridically; and so he is declared free from the punishment, that the accuser
was seeking to have inflicted upon him; and so is declared and pronounced to be
a righteous man, though not one, that has not sinned, yet now one, that is
juridically righteous. But how can this be, seeing
every man and woman is guilty before God, and is come short of the glory of
God? The mystery lies here (as was said), the righteousness of their cautioner,
Christ, is reckoned upon their score, and is imputed to them, and they receive
it by faith, and so it becomes theirs; for now by faith they are united unto
Christ, and become members of His mystical body, He being the Head and true
representative; and thereby He and they are one Person in Law, (being one
Spirit) as the husband and the wife are one person in Law (being one flesh) and
as the representer and represented, the cautioner and principle debtor: and
thus they have a true interest in His righteousness and obedience to the
Law, which He yielded, not upon His own
account, being not obliged thereunto, antecedently to His own voluntary
condescension for us; for as to his person, He was God, and so not obnoxious to
any such Law, imposed upon man, who is in the way to the obtaining of a crown,
as the end of his race: yea nor was this requisite, as to His human nature,
which, by virtue of the personal union with the God-head was, as to itself,
either in Patria, and in possession of the state of blessedness; or in a
capacity thereto, without working therefore: And it is certain, that therefore
His being made under the Law, was for His own people, that, in their room, He
might in the nature of man, give perfect obedience to the Law; and so make up a
righteousness, with which they might all become clothed, by imputation on God’s
part, and by faith receiving it, on their part; and so be justified. Hence
saith the Apostle, by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous,
Romans
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3. There is likewise a mystery here, that the
imputation of the obedience and righteousness of Christ doth not take away the
imputation of His satisfaction, nor make his satisfaction useless and of no
importance, or necessity, as Socinians imagine, who cast the whole Gospel in
the mold of their own corrupt reason and understanding: For they think, if
Christ’s righteousness be imputed to us, we are perfectly righteous; and if we
be perfectly righteous, we have no sin; and if we have no sin, there is no need
of satisfaction for our sin. But they little consider,
that we are both guilty of the broken Law, and also notwithstanding obliged to
perfect obedience. It is unreasonable to think, that Adam, by his breach of the
Law, was exempted and delivered from any obligation to obey the Law; sin does
not, neither can, dissolve that obligation; otherwise, the best way of being
freed from the Laws of God, or man, were to break them, and cast them at our
heals. We then being transgressors, and still under the obligation of obedience
to the whole Law, our Mediator and cautioner must not only obey the Law for us,
to the end, we may inherit the promised reward; but must also make
satisfaction, for the violation of the Law, to the end we may escape God’s
curse and wrath, threatened in the Law, and due to us for the breach of the same.
Had we perfectly kept the Law, we had then had no need of any satisfaction for
our breech thereof: but being guilty of sin, this satisfaction and the
imputation thereof to us, is absolutely necessary. And though we need not here
nicely distinguish between this righteousness and satisfaction, in reference to
the different ends; and say, that by His righteousness imputed to us, we have
right to the crown, and by His satisfaction, freedom from death, which was the
penalty of the broken Law: for God hath joined both together, as we should not
separate, so neither may we nicely and scrupulously distinguish; but adore the
wonderful wisdom of God in this contrivance, and observing our necessity of
both, sweetly acquiesce in and thankfully accept both. But you will say, “If we
be perfectly righteous by the imputation of Christ’s righteousness, what need
have we of any more? Are we not possessed of right to the reward, and being
righteous, are we not free of our sin?” I answer, it is true indeed, if we
said, that Christ’s righteousness, or complete obedience, was first imputed to
us; or if the Scripture gave any ground to say so, there might be some color
for this exception: but as the Scripture gives no such ground; so neither do we
assert it: Only we have need of both, and both are graciously imputed, and
received by faith: yea, we being sinners, if we might speak of an order here,
satisfaction must first be imputed, that thereby we may be freed from the
sentence of the Law, which most presses a wakened, convinced sinner, who is
most anxious here anent, crying out, “How shall I escape the wrath and curse of
God?” But, as the Lord hath graciously and wonderfully knit the effects
together, so is the cause. Both Christ’s obedience and sufferings were so woven
together, that they both belong to and made up his state of humiliation; and by
both imputed to God, and received by faith, and received by faith, the
believers receives the whole effect, that is, both immunity from punishment
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and a right to the reward promised to obedience, or to
the crown. As Christ, the Messiah, made an end of sins, and made
reconciliation for iniquity; so He brought in an everlasting
righteousness, Daniel 9: 24. And believers have the benefit of both; for as
they receive the grace of God, and the gift by grace, and abundance of grace,
and the gift of righteousness; so they shall reign in life; and grace thru
righteousness reigns unto eternal life, Romans 5: 15, 17, 21.
5. Upon
the other hand, this mystery is also observable. That Christ’s satisfaction
does not take away the necessity of the imputation of Christ’s righteousness
and obedience; as some do say, who think, that because we have full pardon of
all sins, by virtue of the satisfaction of Christ; therefore we need no more; a
person who is pardoned being therefore one that is not unrighteous; and one
that is not unrighteous is righteous, for (say they) nothing lies between just
and righteous, and not unjust or not unrighteous; and he who is righteous has
done all his duty, and so has a right to the promised reward of eternal life.
So that, upon this ground they suppose, there is need of no more in order to
the obtaining of life: and besides, say they, the Scriptures say that
the man is blessed, to whom the Lord does not impute sin; And he who is
blessed upon this account, needs no righteousness to be added to render him
blessed, and to give him a right unto glory. But (1) we were, as was said,
guilty of the breach of the Law, and so, liable to punishment, and were also
under obligation, to give perfect obedience unto the Law. Satisfaction,
therefore, for our breach, and our pardon upon satisfaction, says not, that we
have not broken the Law. Now if we have broken the Law, we cannot be said to
have yielded perfect obedience unto the Law. When God pardons upon a
satisfaction made, He does not judge or suppose, that the person pardoned hath
perfectly kept the Law; for His judgment is according to truth; and the very
pardon supposes a transgression; and a transgression takes away perfect obedience,
as perfect obedience destroys or renders useless all pardon. Wherefore neither
before God nor man, can a person merely because of pardon, be said or accounted
to have done all that was required. Upon pardon it is true, he is as much
exempted from the obligation to punishment, as if he had kept the whole Law.
Yet, by that pardon he is not made, nor accounted to be, one who never broke
the Law, and so does not, thereupon, hath a right unto the reward promised.
Suppose, for illustration’s sake, a Prince makes a law commanding such and such
persons to obey the same, under pain of death; at the same time, promising to
those who observe the law, and do what is commanded, a rich reward and the
inheritance of a great kingdom. Now suppose these persons, after they have
broken the law and become guilty of death, are pardoned upon the interposition
of some great person, who makes satisfaction for their failure. They cannot, on
account of this satisfaction and pardon, be said to have done what was
commanded, or to have a right to the reward and inheritance promised to those
who obeyed the law. (2) Therefore, though a person that is pardoned is not
unrighteous, that is, obnoxious
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to the penalty, yet he is not one that is righteous
positively, or in reference to the reward; but only one that is negatively
righteous. In other words, though he has no right to the reward, yet he is not
liable to the punishment. Therefore, though negatively he is not unrighteous,
i.e., he is freed from punishment; yet he cannot be accounted as one that has
done all that was commanded. And so, he cannot be accounted righteous in
reference to the reward. (3) So that there is a manifest difference between
being righteous, that is, one having a right to the reward, and not being unrighteous,
that is, not obnoxious to the punishment, as is clear by the instance of Adam,
before his fall. For, during that time, (how long or how short so ever it was,)
he could not be said to be unrighteous, because he had not yet sinned. Nor
could he be said to be righteous, in reference to the reward that was promised
on condition of perfect obedience to the end, that is, such as had done all his
duty. For if he had then done all his duty, or all that was required in order
to the reward, he had then a full and complete right to the reward of life
promised, and God would have given it to him according to the covenant and
promise. But we know it was not so. He was to finish his course and run his
race to the end, before he could have challenged a right to the promised
inheritance; and this he did not. So that before he fell by transgression, It might have been said of him, that he was not unrighteous,
that is, that he was one that had not yet transgressed and deserved the
punishment threatened. But, he could not be said to have been fully and
positively righteous, that is, one that had done all his duty, and thus had now
a full and complete right to the reward. (4.) It is true, the Scriptures say
that the man is blessed, to whom the Lord doth not impute sin: but they
do not say that the man is blessed, to whom the Lord only imputeth
not sin, or to whom He gives nothing more. Nor do the Scriptures say, that
this pardoning, or not imputing of sin, purely and abstractly considered, that
is, considered alone without any more, (as it must be considered by such as
oppose us here) is that complete blessedness whereof the Scriptures speak. But
the reason why such are said to be blessed to whom the Lord doth not impute
sin, is because imputation of righteousness is inseparably annexed with
non-imputation of sin. Therefore, in that same place of Scripture, Romans 4: 6,
it is said that David (Psalm 32: 1, 2) describeth the blessedness of the
man, unto whom God imputeth righteousness, while he says, blessed is the
man, unto whom the Lord will not impute sin, &c. Whereby we see, that
both these are so firmly connected by the Lord, that the one clears and
confirms the other; and that whoever has the one, has the other also; and upon
that account are blessed, enjoying the whole effect of the imputation of
Christ’s whole surety righteousness. And so, the pardon of sins, and the right
to the inheritance, flowing from the imputation of Christ’s satisfaction and
His obedience, though they are never separated, yet they are distinguished and
spoken of distinctly in Scripture. It is one thing to be delivered from under
the Law, and another thing to receive the adoption of sons, and the blessing of
Abraham, Galatians 3: 13, 14 and 4: 4, 5. As it is on thing to finish the
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transgression, to make an end of sin, and to make reconciliation
for iniquity, and another thing to bring in everlasting righteousness, Daniel
9: 24. Yea, the redemption from the Law and its curse is mentioned, as
preceding the other, as the finishing of transgression is also mentioned before
the bringing in of righteousness, in the passages cited. And thus, as these
effects are distinguished, though inseparable, so is the cause. By the
imputation of Christ’s satisfaction we have pardon of sin, being redeemed from
the curse of the Law, by His being made a curse for us; and by the imputation
of His righteousness, and obedience, we are looked upon as righteous, and so
have a right to the promise and inheritance. We need not thus consider these
two distinctly, save only to demonstrate the necessity of the imputation of
both. For, Christ by His death did also purchase the inheritance for us; and by
obedience made satisfaction for sin, it being a piece of His humiliation. So
that both, in the deep wisdom of God, make up one cause of that one effect,
which comprehends all blessedness; that is, both pardon of sins and right to
inheritance, &c. By the imputation of both, or of this complete
surety-righteousness of Christ including both, believers are pardoned and
adjudged unto life. Hence our pardon and justification are often ascribed unto
Christ’s death, not as distinctly considered, or as excluding his righteousness
and obedience; but, among other reasons, because that was the completing act of
His obedience; and to which all the rest preceding had a respect, as to that
which should complete the whole meritorious part of His mediation. And hereby
His obedience can no more be excluded, than His foregoing soul-sufferings. Nay,
His death did presuppose and include His obedience; for it was the death of one
who had perfectly obeyed the Law. This death and obedience being His mediatory
work in the state of His humiliation, was a complete righteousness for the
blessedness and advantage of all those for whom He appeared, and whose debt He
undertook to pay. (5.) That the obedience of Christ must also be imputed to
sinners, is manifest from this: That otherwise they should have no
righteousness at all imputed to them, that can properly be called a righteousness. For if nothing but that which is commonly
called Christ’s passive obedience, or His sufferings, be imputed, then no
righteousness can be said to be imputed; for dying and suffering the penalty,
as such, are no righteousness; being no obedience to the commands of the Law,
in conformity to which consists proper righteousness. When one dies for his
crime of murder, he cannot be said to be thereby a righteous man, or to have
obeyed the Law which forbids murder. Nor can it be said properly that we have
obeyed the Law, when Christ in our room did suffer the penalty of death, due to
us for the breach of it. They who are in hell,
suffering the vengeance of eternal fire, cannot be said to be obeying the Law.
It is true, Christ in dying did obey a command, imposed upon Him by the Father;
but that was no command of the Moral Law prescribed unto man. And so, it can no
more be said that Christ was obeying the Moral Law, (under which man is
obliged,) in His dying and suffering the penalty, than that He was suffering
the penalty while He
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was obeying the Moral Law, these two being so manifestly
different. So that it is clear, that if Christ’s obedience be not imputed to
us, no proper righteousness is, or can be said to be imputed to us. Yea (6.) if
Christ’s obedience be not imputed to us, that Law which says, do this and
live, is not fulfilled; but rather abrogated and abolished; and it must be
said, notwithstanding of that constitution of God’s, we live, though we
neither do this, nor is our Cautioner’s doing of it imputed to us. And
so we have a right to the reward, and get it at length, without the
righteousness required in order thereunto. Let us therefore admire the
harmonious perfection of this effect and work of infinite wisdom. I know
several things are objected against this truth, as
there are many other grounds and reasons adduced for the same; but these I
shall speak to at more length afterward.
7. This
is also a mystery here to be noticed, that a righteousness that is not ours
inherently, but Christ’s, should be made ours, made over to us, and reckoned
upon our score, or we become clothed therewith, and thereupon justified as
righteous, as really and effectually, as if we had wrought it ourselves, and it
had been properly inherent in us. Socinians, Papists, Arminians, and others,
who will not subject their reason unto this mystery, and give credit to
revelation, will acknowledge no such imputation of righteousness: but at most
do grant but an improper imputation; i.e., an imputation as to effects. For
they hold that Christ neither suffered nor obeyed in our stead and room, but
only for our good and advantage, and that only conditionally, if we believe and
perform the Gospel condition. But this imputation as to effects only is no
imputation at all, there being nothing thereby imputed; not the righteousness
of Christ itself, for this they expressly deny; nor yet the
effects themselves, for we nowhere read of justification, adoption, pardon,
&c., which are the effects. Yea, it is not enough to them to deny this
imputed righteousness; but in contempt and scorn, they call that which we name
Imputed Righteousness, a putative Righteousness, as if it were a mere
imaginary thing. But whatever such in decision think or say, the Gospel holds
forth to us a righteousness imputed, or the righteousness of Christ, graciously
bestowed upon and made over to believers, or freely given to them, so that they
are dealt with by God, as righteous juridically and legally, or as possessors
of such a complete and perfect righteousness, and that as really, and to all effects,
as if it had been their own inherently, and performed by them, and so had been
theirs without any such imputation. And because this, as the cause, is imputed
to them and made theirs, therefore all the effects thereof shall really and
certainly be bestowed upon them, in God’s appointed time and method. This is
the truth, which the Gospel holds forth, to the solid peace, joy and comfort of
believers; the full clearing and vindicating of which would require a just
treatise. I shall therefore here propose but a few clear and manifest grounds
of this refreshing and comfortable truth, leaving the further prosecution and
vindication of them, and of other arguments that are used in this matter, with
the examination of what is objected on the contrary, till afterward. First,
therefore, we say, as Christ,
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who knew no sin, was made sin; that is, had the sins
of His people laid upon Him, and imputed to Him; so that they were all caused
to meet together on Him Isaiah 53: 6, and He therefore was made a sacrifice for
sin, or dealt with and punished as a sinner, though not a sinner inherently,
but only by imputation, for He did bear our griefs, and carried our sorrows,
and was wounded for our transgressions, and was bruised for our iniquities,
Isaiah 53: 4, 5, to wit, now imputed to Him by God, and reckoned upon His
account, who knew no sin in Himself inherently: So are we made the
righteousness of God in Him II Corinthians 5: 21, that is, have His
righteousness, who is God, imputed to us, who were in ourselves and inherently
sinners; and being in Him by faith are dealt with as righteous. The manifest
scope of the place, and the plain import of the word, must enforce this truth
on all who are not more than ordinarily blinded with prejudice. Secondly, as
Adam’s posterity, who were not existing when he transgressed the Law of God,
but were only in his loins, and federally comprehended with him in that
covenant, by God’s voluntary designation and appointment; and so did not
actually and really eat that fruit, which Adam did eat; yet have that sin and
guilt so imputed to them, that it is really accounted theirs; and not merely in
its effects, for its effects are not truly imputed, neither can it be said to
be so. For that natural contagion and corruption of nature which is truly
propagated to the posterity, and all actual transgressions, the fruits thereof,
cannot be said to be imputed, because they are really theirs, and inherent in
them. But that original sin, which is the guilt of Adam’s first sin, can alone
be imputed to those who did not actually commit it in their person, (unless we
mean such an imputation whereby our actual sins, which we commit, are said to
be imputed to us, when they are laid to our charge, and we are actually
punished therefore.) By virtue of this imputation, they are accounted guilty of
that self-same sin; and therefore are dealt with and punished upon the account
thereof, as if they had actually committed it themselves, in their own persons;
and no less than Adam himself was punished therefore. So are believers, being
by faith united unto Christ, and made real members of His mystical body, and
now interested in Him as His children and brethren, made partakers of His
righteousness, and have it imputed unto them, for all ends and uses, as if it had
been their own, without any imputation. The reading of the Apostle’s discourse,
Romans 5, from verse 12 and forward to the end, may satisfy any as to this
whole affair, who will yield themselves captive unto the Truth. For, upon this
doth the Apostle found His whole discourse and explication of the rich
advantages, had by Christ and His righteousness, clearing, and illustrating the
same by that similitude of Adam, whom he expressly calls the figure of Him,
that was to come, verse 14. And so he asserts, that as by one man sin
entered into the world, and death by sin, and so death passed upon all, because
all sinned; so by one man, Jesus Christ, the second Adam, righteousness
entered into the world, and life by it, and so life passed upon all, that were
in Him, because they are righteous in Him, or have His righteousness
imputed unto them. Nay, in the following verses, the matter is cleared with
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an advantage unto believers in Christ, But (saith
he verses 15 – 19,) not as the offense, so also is the free gift; for if
through the offense of one, many be dead; much more the grace of God, and the
gift by grace, by one man Jesus Christ, hath abounded unto many, &c. And
so he goes on to show what and how great things believers receive from Christ,
with no less, yea rather with much more certainty, than the posterity of Adam
were interested in what he did. Therefore, as judgment was by one to
condemnation; so the free gift is of many offenses unto justification; and if
by one man’s offense, death reigned by one, much more they who believe or
receive abundance of grace, and the gift of righteousness, shall reign in life
by one Jesus Christ. And as the offense of one Adam was imputed to all, and
thereby guilt and judgment came upon all, making them liable to condemnation:
so by the righteousness of one Jesus Christ, imputed to all that receive this
abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness, the free gift of
justification comes unto them, reconciling them to God, and instating them for
life. And the ground and reason of this is laid down in verse 19, for as by
one man’s disobedience, many were made sinners; and so were guilty, and
made liable to judgment and condemnation; so by the obedience of one,
that perfect obedience to the Law that Christ performed, opposite to Adam’s
transgression and disobedience, shall many be made righteous, that is,
constituted righteous; and therefore dealt with as such, through this imputed
righteousness; and so justified and made heirs of life. For, in verse 21 he
adds as sin hath reigned unto death, even so grace must reign,
through righteousness, unto eternal life, by Jesus Christ, our Lord. They
then, who will deny, or oppose themselves unto this imputation of Christ’s
righteousness, must do manifest violence unto the whole discourse of the
Apostle, in this place. Thirdly, hence, another evidencing ground of this
imputation: What is done by a public person, representing others, is accounted
legally to be done by those who are represented, and they are dealt with
accordingly. Adam was a public person, representing all his posterity that were to come of him by ordinary generation, according to the
ordination and appointment of God. In the same way, Christ, of whom Adam as a
figure, was a public person, representing all whom the Father had given to Him,
and for whom He had undertaken, and for whose sake He sanctified Himself, John
17: 19, and became their brother taking on their nature, Hebrews 2: 11, 14.
Becoming like them in all things, except for sin, (Hebrews
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which is therefore compared to these, and in part explained
thereby, for our better understanding of the matter: but none of them, nor all
of them do fully unfold the mystery. And in it there is ground enough to
suppose, Christ to be a public person and a representative; as also for
asserting this imputation; because believers being thus united unto Christ, are
made partakers of His righteousness, and of what He, as Head and Husband, did
and suffered, in their room and place; and they thereupon are blessed with all
the fruits and effects thereof. Fourthly, His being called a Surety, Hebrews
46
or not speak consequentially; for when one lays down a
satisfactory price for another, it must be reckoned upon the score of and
imputed to that other; to the end, he may be dealt with, as if he had laid it
down himself; and thereby be freed from what otherwise he must have undergone:
and if upon the account of that satisfaction, he is not so freed, it cannot be
called a satisfaction for him. When Christ lays down His life for His sheep,
His sheep must not die and perish. If they perish, then He did not die for
them. If they perish not because of His dying for them, His death must be
imputed to them, and upon the account of it they must be saved. So that
Christ’s dying for His own, is dying in their room, person, and stead, as the
particle for manifestly imports II Samuel 18: 33, Genesis 44: 33,
Numbers 
I Timothy 2: 6. Many more arguments might be
adduced here, for confirmation of this truth; but I shall satisfy myself at
present, with these few and plain ones; and so proceed.
8. This
mystery is also considerable here, that both the justice of God, and the mercy
and free grace of God, take place in this matter. Socinians cry up the mercy
and free grace of God in the matter of justification: but it is to this end, that they may with more desperate confidence shut out
the justice of God, so that it may have no place there. Therefore, they deny
all satisfaction, redemption, and atonement, &c. (except what is merely
metaphorical) because they cannot see, how both justice and mercy can with
joined hands concur to our justification. But the Apostle, better taught than
they, and better acquainted with the mind of Christ in this mystery, sees no
inconsistency. Rather, he declares the sweet and perfect harmony and
concurrence of these, in this mystery; telling us (Romans 3: 24, 25, 26,) that we
are justified freely by His grace; and yet he adds, through the
redemption, that is in Christ Jesus, whom God has set forth to be a
propitiation, through faith in His blood, to declare His righteousness, &c.
And again, to declare His righteousness, that He might be just, and the
justifier, of him, which believeth in Jesus. Here is a free grace
triumphing; and yet justice is declared and manifested. God is declared to be
just, and His righteousness manifested, and yet sinners and believers are
justified freely by grace. So Ephesians 1: 7, 8. There
is a redemption through the price of blood; and yet a free pardon of sins,
according to the riches of God’s grace, wherein He hath abounded towards us, in
all wisdom and prudence. But if it be enquired, where does this mercy and
free grace appear in our justification, since there was a satisfaction made to
justice for all the sins of His people? I answer, (1.) was it not an act of
wonderful free grace and mercy, that, when the Lord might have executed the
sentence of the Law upon us, according to that threatening, that day thou
eats, thou shalt die; and so have made us, sinners, who transgressed the
Law, to die and suffer; yet He would accept of a satisfaction, at the hands of
a surety and cautioner? (2.) Was it not an act of grace and mercy to us, that
He himself would provide a surety and put His name in our obligation; and so
make Him sin for us, who knew no sin, and lay all our iniquities upon Him, that
He might bear the punishment, due to
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us for the same? See John 3: 16. (3.) Was it no act of
sovereign grace and mercy, that God should both provide a mediator and surety
for us, and accept His mediation and satisfaction, most freely, out of free
grace and love, when we had neither done, nor could do anything to move Him
hereunto, or to procure this at His hands; yea, when all our carriage, and all
that He could see in us, did rather cry aloud for the contrary dealing? (4.)
Was it no act of sovereign grace, that God should provide all this remedy for a
few, whom He did choose for Himself out of free grace and love, and gave away
to Christ, to be redeemed by Him, leaving the rest, and passing them by, though
no more unworthy, than such, as were chosen? (5.) Is it no act of grace and
mercy, that in order to this great favor of justification, no more should be
required on our part, than faith in Jesus Christ; seeing this very faith,
including a union with and a marriage consent unto Christ, is in itself, in a
manner, a favor nothing inferior to the pardon of all our sins, and to the
accepting of us as righteous in His sight? (6.) Is justification no act of
grace and mercy, though it be upon the account of the
obedience and satisfaction of Christ; when that very faith, which is only required
of us, in order to our full interest in Christ and His merits, is also the free
gift of God, Ephesians 2: 8? If these particulars will not abundantly say that
we are saved in justification by grace, and by the exceeding riches of God’s
grace and kindness towards us, through Christ Jesus, according to Ephesians 2:
7, what will!
9. Here
is a great and wonderful mystery, in this matter, that the innocent should
suffer, and the guilty escape and go free. The Socinians, that they may
strengthen themselves in their mischievous prejudices against the satisfaction
of Christ, imagine an impossibility here, and an
inconsistency with justice, that an innocent person should be put to suffer.
But whatever they dream, who will walk in these mysterious matters by no other
guide than the dim light of corrupt nature, it comports abundantly with
justice, that the surety be put to pay what He has undertaken to pay for the
principal debtor. And here was no wrong done to our surety, Jesus Christ, who
willingly undertook this debt, and was lord of His own life, having absolute
power to lay it down, and power to take it up again, and to raise himself from
the dead; and knowing withal, how richly to compensate and make up that loss
another way, so that He should be no loser, when He should see His seed, and
receive the rich reward of His labors from the Father, whose servant He was in
this affair. Here then is a mystery of wisdom, grace and love, that the
innocent Lamb of God, who knew no sin, who did no violence, nor was
guile found in his mouth, II Corinthians 5: 21, Isaiah 53: 9, who, when
He was reviled, reviled not again. I Peter 2: 22, 23, who was Holy,
harmless, undefiled and separate from sinners, Hebrews 7: 26, that He
should be made sin by God, II Corinthians 5: 21, and so legally guilty
and obnoxious to the punishment due for sin; that He should be made a High
Priest to offer up Himself a sacrifice for sin, Hebrews 9: 14, 28. That He should
bear our griefs, and carry our sorrows, and be wounded for our transgressions,
and bruised for our iniquities; that the punishment of our peace should
be upon Him; and He should have
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stripes, and be oppressed and afflicted, and be cut
off out of the land of the living; have strokes upon Him, and make His grave
with the wicked; be bruised and be put to grief, and make His soul an offering
for sin. Isaiah 53: 3 – 10. That he,
who could not be charged with sin, should yet be put to suffer most grievous
torments, immediately in His soul, Matthew 26: 37, 38, and 27: 46, Luke 22: 44,
John 12: 27, and pains in his body, Matthew 26 and 27. That He should die, and
that He should die the shameful, painful, and cursed death of the cross,
Galatians 3: 13, Philippians 2: 8. And, on the other hand, that we, who were
the sinners, and guilty, and so obnoxious to all the miseries of this life, to
death itself, and to the pains of hell and wrath of God forever, should escape,
and be healed by His stripes, Isaiah 53: 5. I Peter
10.
This is also part of this mystery, that nothing should be forgiven, and yet all
should be forgiven. Nothing was forgiven to our Surety. He paid all that was
required of Him, for the Lord laid on Him the iniquity of us all. He
gave full obedience to the Law, in all its demands, and made a perfect and
complete satisfaction for our offences; so that the Father was well pleased in Him;
and so this was at two different time declared and expressed out of heaven;
once at His baptism, Matthew 3: 17, and again at His transfiguration, Matthew
17: 5. The sword of justice was awakened against Him, though He was God’s
fellow, Zechariah 13: 7, and did abate Him nothing of what was due. The Lord
Jesus gave himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God, for a sweet
smelling savor, Ephesians 5: 2. He is a perfect High Priest, continuing
forever, having an unchangeable priesthood, and therefore is able to
save them to the uttermost, that come unto God by Him; for He needeth not daily
as the High Priests under the Law to offer up sacrifice first for His own sins,
and then for the people; for this He did once, when He offered up Himself: for
the word of the oath makes Him a Priest, who is consecrated forever more,
Hebrews 7: 24 – 27. And yet, though He had nothing forgiven or abated to
Him, while standing in our room, but paid all to the utmost farthing; all
notwithstanding is freely forgiven to us, and we have blessedness, by the
Lord’s forgiving our iniquities, and covering our sins, or not imputing them
to us, Psalm 32: 1, 2 Romans 4: 7, 8. Our redemption is forgiveness of sins
Ephesians 1: 7, Colossians 1: 14. And all sins must be forgiven to us, or our
redemption should not be perfect, nor we saved; for
one sin would ruin us forever; because if the Lord should mark iniquity, and
enter into judgment, no man should stand, and no flesh should be justified,
Psalm 130: 3 and 143: 2.
11.
Here is another mystery, considerable in our justification, that though thereby
we be declared and pronounced righteous, and so acquitted and absolved from
what was, or might be charged upon us; yet we have need of pardon, and must be
freely pardoned. Socinians cannot or will not see the connection that infinite
wisdom hath made here. Therefore, they make use of forgiveness and free pardon
of sins as an argument, wherewith to fight against true Gospel justification,
or the justification of a sinner upon
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the account of the imputed righteousness of Christ; and
against the imputation of Christ’s righteousness to this end, that the sinner
may be absolved and pronounced righteous, and accepted as such. But the
Scriptures see no inconsistency or repugnancy here, but a harmonious and sweet
accord betwixt the Lord’s causing the iniquities of the people to pass from
them, and His clothing them with a change of raiment, Zechariah 3: 4. And the
Apostle joins both, as inseparable; yea he declares the necessity of both, saying,
now the righteousness of God without the Law is manifest —even the
righteousness of God, which is by Jesus Christ, unto all, and upon all them
that believe, Romans 3: 21, 22. Whereupon it follows, verse 24, that they
are freely justified by His grace. But then, one might say, “What need
is there of remission, does this not take away all remission?” No; for he adds in verse 24, 25, through
the redemption, that is in Jesus Christ, whom God hath set forth to be a
propitiation, through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the
remission of sins, that are past. Yea, the forgiveness of sins establishes
and confirms the imputation of righteousness, whereby we are justified; for
thus speaks the Apostle Romans 4: 6 – 8. Even as David also describes the
blessedness of the man, unto whom God imputes righteousness without works,
saying, blessed are they, whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are
covered; blessed is the man, unto whom the Lord will not impute sin. Where
we see, that non-imputation of sins is so far from shutting out imputation of
righteousness, that it confirms it, and proves it, and is inseparable from it,
and must necessarily presuppose it: for we, being sinners, can have no
absolution, until the satisfaction of Christ be applied to us, and be made ours
by imputation: and where this is imputed by God, the soul must be absolved from
all that can be laid to its charge. Therefore in justification, as we are
declared righteous, by reason of the righteousness of Christ imputed to us and
received by faith; so have we thereby a full remission of all our sins. Paul
tells us II Corinthians 5: 19, That God was
in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses
unto them. And what giveth he for the ground of this?
See verse 21, for he says, He hath made Him to be sin for us, who knew no
sin, that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him.
12. It is also observable in this mysterious business,
that though our justification be an act of God’s free
grace, wherein, only upon the account of the righteousness of Christ imputed to
us by God; and not upon the account of anything in us, or done by us, He
pardons our sins and accepts our persons as righteous. Yet, this is not with an exclusion, but rather with an inclusion of faith, which
is a receiving, a laying hold upon, and a leaning unto the righteousness of
Christ, imputed to us. Socinians and others are utter strangers unto this
mystery; and make use of their wit here, to plead against the imputation of Christ’s
righteousness, the only ground of our justification; because faith is required
of us, in order to our justification; and is (as they say) itself imputed to
us, as our righteousness; upon the account of which we are justified. They
suppose, that if Christ’s righteousness be imputed to a person, and he is
thereupon acquitted and pardoned of all his sins, that person must be
righteous, pardoned and justified,
50
whether he believe or not; and the righteousness of Christ
must be his, before he believe. But, leaving the debating of that question, whether
faith properly taken, that is, as our act, done in obedience to the command of
God, be imputed to us as our righteousness? —until
we come to the next part of the words, I shall only now say, as to the other
thing here alleged, that they being ignorant of the
Gospel, feign an opposition in things, whereas in these same things the Gospel
points forth a perpetual and harmonious agreement. On the other hand, they will
patch up a reconciliation and agreement between those things which the Gospel
sets at perfect opposition and variance. For Paul, better acquainted with the
Gospel, and with the nature of Gospel justification, than they, tells us, yea,
he proves it by many arguments, that by deeds of the Law, there shall no
flesh be justified; and consequently, not by faith, as one deed or work of
the Law. And he makes mention of the righteousness of God without the Law;
and says, that that righteousness of God is imputed to and upon all them,
that believe. And notwithstanding of this, he tells us, that this
righteousness is by faith of Jesus Christ, and imputed to all that believe,
exclusive of others, Romans 3: 20 – 22. And again he tells us, that as we are justified
freely by his grace; yet it is through the redemption, that is in Jesus
Christ, whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation, through faith in his
blood verses 24, 25. And again in verse 26, as God is declared in this
matter to be just; so is he the justifier of him only, that believeth
in Jesus. Moreover, in verse 27, he mentions the Law of Faith, as opposite
to the Law of Works, in that it excludeth boasting: and concludes again
in verse 28 that a man is justified by faith, without the deeds of the Law;
and in verse 30, that God justifieth by faith and through faith. Yet we
never hear, that he says, we are justified for faith, or upon account of faith.
Further, that faith is required, in order to justification, is clear from
Romans 9: 31, 32, where it is said, that Israel which followed after the law
of righteousness, hath not attained to the law of righteousness, because they
sought it not by faith, but as it were by the works of the law. This also
is fully proved by the same Apostle, in this epistle to the Galatians, knowing
(saith he in chapter 2: 16) that a man is not justified by the works of
the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ; even we have believed in Jesus
Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ. and to point
forth this interest of faith; and yet not as imputed for our righteousness,
when properly taken, the same Apostle in Philippians 3: 9, calls that
righteousness, which he opposes to his own righteousness, which is of the law, a
righteousness, which is through the faith of Christ, and the righteousness
which is of God by faith. By all which, and many other passages mentioning
our justification by faith, which might be cited, we see that the Lord hath so
ordered the matter, that faith should have an interest in justification as an
instrumental cause, or some such thing (for to contend about words, is not much
to edification) as may fully denote and point forth the emphasis of the
Scripture expressions herein; such as are to be found in Romans 3: 22, 28, 30
and in other places now cited; and that because faith carries a poor convicted
and self condemned sinner out of himself, to seek a righteousness in Christ, in
and upon the account of which, he may be
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accepted of God and justified: and so brings him to
close with Christ and to accept of His righteousness, and put it on, that he
may appear in it before God, and so receive the atonement and abundance of
grace and of the gift of righteousness, Romans 5: 11, 17. And albeit it may
satisfy us to know, that so the Lord hath ordained it, that the self condemned
sinner should flee to the righteousness of Christ, held forth in the Gospel,
lay hold on it, and lean to it, thereby he may attain justification and
remission, without enquiring after reasons of this contrivance? Yet we may
clearly see the wisdom of God shining forth, in this appointed way of
justification: for the sinner is hereby brought to sear (as it were) himself
bare, to renounce all in himself; to declare and profess himself a plain
bankrupt; and so to despair in himself; that the riches of the free grace of
God, and everlasting love may shine forth in him, in a more divine luster, and
in a singular heavenly beauty: and hereby all ground of pride, boasting, or
glorying in himself is taken away; and the sinner is made to see and to
subscribe unto the glorious wisdom, that then appears in that contrivance, and
to wonder; as also to see his everlasting obligation unto the Lord contriver,
and to the Lord ransomer. So is he made to see the perfect ground of security
and safety in this way, when he sees, that in order to his partaking of the
great blessings and favors his soul longs for, he must first be untied unto
Jesus Christ himself, and married unto him, in a perpetual marriage covenant,
that shall never be dissolved. And he comes hereby to a sure ground of peace
and tranquility of soul, when he sees, that it is nothing in himself, that is
taken, as a satisfaction to the infinite justice of God; but the righteousness
of Christ who is God and man in one person; and so a perfect and infinite
righteousness, able fully to repair the breach made, and to make satisfaction
for the wrong done to the infinite God. So that upon his ground, he may boast
and glory in the Lord alone, and triumph over all assaults and temptations of
Satan. Hereby then as the Lord hath consulted his own glory; for the sinner,
fleeing to the righteousness of Christ, as his only refuge, and resting there,
doth proclaim God to be holy, just, righteous, gracious, and only wise; so he
hath consulted the safety, peace, joy, and confidence of His own. The
consideration whereof should make us comply sweetly with this noble
contrivance; and instead of disputing against it, or ourselves out of it,
acquiesce with all our heart in it, and rest there.
13. We
may observe further another mystery, in this matter of justification to wit,
that the way of justification, through the imputed righteousness of Christ,
doth not take away the necessity and usefulness of the exercise of the grace of
repentance. Socinians and others, who follow their footsteps, can observe no
harmony here, and cry out against the imputation of Christ’s righteousness,
because (as they suppose) it evacuates the use and necessity of repentance,
enervates all the commands enjoining it. But (1.) This
mistake must certainly flow from a misconception of the true nature, use and
ends of Gospel repentance, for they must of necessity suppose, that Gospel
repentance is required for the same ends
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and uses, for which the imputation of Christ’s
righteousness is required; otherwise they could not think, that the asserting
of the one should tend to the jostling out of the other. But whatever they
imagine, we assert no such thing, but affirm: That Christ hath purchased the
whole of our remission: and repentance, whatever Papists say, hath no interest
herein; nor hath it any merit with it, whether ex condigno,
or ex congruo, to procure remission, and the
favor of God, or reconciliation with Him; but it is only required in its own
place, to accompany faith, and to follow upon it, as a suitable and profitable
exercise for sinners, advanced to such high favors and privileges. And the
imputation of Christ’s righteousness can no more prejudge the exercise of this
grace, than of any other Gospel grace, or duty, such as love, fear, hope,
prayer, patience, &c., but rather incite and encourage to it. (2.) What was
formerly said of faith and its harmonious agreement with the imputation of
Christ’s righteousness, will sufficiently also clear and confirm this: for if
the adversaries speak of legal repentance, the imputation of Christ’s
righteousness will no more take that away, than faith, for it precedes faith,
whereby the sinner lays hold on Christ. And if they speak of Gospel repentance
(which is more to the purpose) they must know, that though in its exercise (at
least in its remarkable exercise) it follows faith, and in order of nature is
posterior to it. Yet, it is inseparably connected therewith; so that where
faith is, there is and must also be repentance, at least, in its roots and
begun exercise: for a sinner cannot rightly accept and close with Christ, as
offered in the Gospel, for Gospel ends, and in a Gospel manner, and according
to the call of the Gospel, but withal he must have a sight and sense of his
sins, and a hatred thereof, as also a purpose firm and fixed, to turn from them
unto God, as also an endeavor after new obedience. Yea, we find sometimes
repentance pressed, as including faith in it; as when pressed in order to
pardon and acceptance with God. Sometimes again it is mentioned together with
faith, as being inseparable there from. (3.) As the imputation of the
righteousness of Christ, and the justification of believers thereupon, doth not
put them in such a case, as they shall sin no more afterward, so neither doth
it take away the usefulness and necessity of renewed acts of faith and
repentance; nor in the least weaken the after exercise of these graces, but
rather doth excite thereunto, each in their proper place, and to their proper
ends, in order to actual pardon, according to the Gospel method, in which it is
required, that justified persons or believers repent of their after sins, and
by faith to flee to Christ for pardon, and as at the first, so afterward there
can be no true exercise of faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ, for pardon of
after sins, without a true exercise of repentance towards God, these
perpetually accompanying each other. Yet, we must not think that repentance
considered by itself, and as distinct from faith, hath the same interest in the
covenant, for pardon, first or last, that faith hath, nor is it appointed, or
called for, for that end: and when it is enjoined and mentioned
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in order to remission, it is to be taken as distinct,
far less as separated from faith, but as including faith, being the necessary
concomitant and consequent thereof, as also the public and sensible expression
and evidence of true and lively faith. For repentance being towards God, and a
turning to God, from whom sin draws the soul away, must of necessity have faith
towards our Lord Jesus Christ, accompanying it, and laying a ground for it,
seeing there is no coming to the Father, but by the Son. John 14: 6. (4.) To
say, that by imputation of Christ’s righteousness, we should have no more need
of repentance, than Christ had, who was wholly without sin, is to imagine, that
we dream of such an imputation, as makes us to have been no sinners, or under
no guilt; and consequently to have stood in need of no gracious imputation. But
we assert no such thing; for we were sinners, and so stood in need of a
righteousness to be imputed to us, in order to our justification. And he who
did graciously provide this righteousness for us, might also, without the least
derogation from the freedom and glory of His grace and favor, also appoint the
means, method and way, how he will have us made partakers of the benefits of
this grace and imputed righteousness first and last; so also to prescribe what
duties He thought meet for such, as He had so visited with grace and mercy.
14.
Another part of this mystery lies in this, that justification through the
imputed righteousness of Christ, takes not away the rich and honorable
privilege of adoption. Such, as are adversaries unto this imputation of
Christ’s righteousness, allege that there is no consistency here; because, say
they, if Christ’s righteousness or obedience should be imputed unto us, so that
we may have a right and title to life, according to the tenor of the covenant, do
this and live, adoption, by which this right and title is conveyed,
according to the Scriptures, is rendered useless. But not to mention the great
difference, that is between the life and privileges of life, a right whereunto
is solemnly had in adoption; and the life, that was promised in the old
covenant, by these words, do this and live. They consider not, that the
imputation of Christ’s righteousness doth no more destroy or take away
adoption, than it doth destroy, or take away pardon; and that it is so far,
from rendering either useless, that it establishes both, and is the ground and
firm basis of both. For as without the imputation of Christ’s righteousness and
satisfaction, there can be no ground for pardon; so without the imputation of
His righteousness and obedience there is no ground for adoption. As justification
is a solemn and formal stating of a person in favor and reconciliation with
God, and in pardon of sins, so adoption is a solemn and formal stating of a
person in a right to glory and to all the privileges of Sonship here and
hereafter. Now neither of these are rendered useless, through the doctrine of
imputation; but both are the more cleared, confirmed and secured thereby. The
imputation of righteousness is not formally pardon itself, nor is it formally a
right to glory; but the necessary ground of both. Christ’s righteousness is
imputed, that we may be justified, and that we may be adopted; that is
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solemnly and formally placed in a state of pardon and reconciliation, and into a state of right
and interest in the privilege of Sonship. As the producing of the cautioner’s
payment, in judgment, is not formally the absolution of the debtor, but the
ground of a formal sentence of absolution; so the imputation of Christ’s
righteousness and satisfaction, is not the formal sentence of absolution and
pardon, but the ground thereof. And as the paying of the price condescended on
for land or houses, is not a formal infeosing, or a formal conveyance of right
and title, by charter and seasing, but the ground thereof; so the imputation of
Christ’s merits and obedience is not the formal and legal conveyance of right
to the inheritance of glory, and glorious privileges of Sonship; but is the
ground thereof, upon which necessarily follows adoption, which is, as it were, the
believer’s infeosment and seasing, whereby right is formally and legally
conveyed unto him, to all these privileges.
15.
This is also a mystery in this matter, that such as
are adversaries to the imputation of Christ’s righteousness, cannot understand,
to wit, that believers should be accounted righteous, and thereupon
justified, through the imputation of the righteousness of Christ; and yet the
Lord should see sin in them. They say, if believers
be righteous with the righteousness of Christ, God can no more see sin in them
than in Christ. But they do not distinguish between the existence of sin,
and obnoxiousness to punishment, which is separable from the existence of sin.
Otherwise, there could be no pardon. In such, as are covered with the
righteousness of Christ, imputed by God, and received by faith, God sees sin in
its being, for He pardons it, and pardon does not make sin to have been no sin;
nor does pardon say that the man has not sinned; for then pardon should be no
pardon, seeing that all pardon supposes sin. But He does not see sin so, as to punish
and condemn for it. For in respect of this reatus, guilt and obligation
to punishment, sin is taken away, forgotten, cast behind God’s back, and into
the depths of the sea &c, as the Scripture expresses the matter. The judge
sees not the debtor guilty and obnoxious to the sentence, when the payment made
by the cautioner is instructed in open court: yet he cannot but see, that he
has contracted debt, and was thereupon obnoxious to the sentence. Neither do
our adversaries here consider, that by this way of arguing, they destroy all pardon.
For when a man is pardoned, he is no more obnoxious to punishment; and God
cannot see sin in him, in order to condemnation, because it is pardoned; and
thereby that obligation to condemnation is taken away. And so, if they mean
only this, by God’s not seeing of sin, when they deny this, they must deny
remission, nor yet do we say, that the imputation of Christ’s righteousness
takes away the existence of all after sins, and makes them no sins; but only
that it ensures their pardon. We do not argue from this imputation that after
sins do not exist, or that God does not see them; but only the non-imputation
of them unto condemnation; for we know that sin, in its being, is killed and
mortified another way, viz. by the work of sanctification.
16. To
the same end, we may consider: That though by the way of justification
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through the imputation of Christ’s righteousness, and
faith laying hold on the same, the Law is not made void, but established; as
the Apostle says in Romans 3: 31, and the righteousness of the Law is in some
sense fulfilled in us, being fulfilled in our nature, by Christ, the Mediator
and Surety, Romans 8: 4. Yet we are not justified by the Law, but by the
Gospel; not by the Covenant of Works, but by the Covenant of Grace. The
adversaries to the imputation allege, that we, by asserting the same, do
establish justification by works of the Law, because the obedience of Christ
was obedience to the Law, and so legal righteousness; and if that be imputed to
us, so as we are accounted to have done what he did, we must be justified by
Law righteousness, and consequently by the Law; which is contrary to Scripture.
But in answer to this I say (1.) They avert not, that some of themselves do
expressly call Christ’s righteousness, our legal, or
prolegal righteousness; and therefore it must be a righteousness answering the
Law, and also made ours. (2.) Nor do they observe, that justification by the
Law, or by the works of the Law, which the Scriptures speak so much against, is
not to be understood in their sense; the obvious, plain and only meaning
thereof being this, that no man can be justified by his own personal obedience
to the Law, for by the Law, the doers only of the Law are justified, Romans 2:
13. The plain tenor of the Law is set down in Romans 10: 5, where Moses is
mentioned as describing the righteousness of the Law to be this,
that the man, who doth those things, shall live by them,
Leviticus 18: 5. When therefore the Law says, that the man that doth these
things shall live by them, and not, the man that either doth those
things or getteth a cautioner to do them for him, shall be justified; it is
manifest, that we are not justified by the Law, seeing we do not these things
ourselves, in our own persons; but by the Gospel, which only provides this
Surety, and proposes justification through His righteousness imputed and
received by faith. Thus we see, that justification through the imputation of
Christ’s righteousness, does quite annul and destroy our justification by the
Law: all imputation being inconsistent with Law-justification, and repugnant
thereunto, because it is of grace; and what is of grace, neither is, nor can be
of works, Romans 11: 6. (3.) We assert not imputation in this sense, to wit:
That we are accounted and reputed to have done what Christ did; for that cannot
be. God cannot judge amiss, but He should judge amiss, if He should judge that
we did what Christ did. Our meaning is this, that the believer, being now
united unto Christ, hath an interest in Christ’s righteousness, and upon the
account thereof, now reckoned upon his score by imputation, he is freed from
all that the Law could charge upon him, and that as fully, to all ends, as if
he had performed that righteousness himself.
17. It
is likewise here considerable, that we are justified upon the account of the
righteousness of Christ imputed; and yet this righteousness of Christ is the
proper meritorious cause of our justification, and of all that follows there
upon. Some, who oppose this imputation, imagine an
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opposition here: But mistakenly they think, that the
righteousness of Christ must be made the meritorious cause of itself, or of
that righteousness which is imputed; while as we only say, that Christ’s
righteousness is the meritorious cause of our justification, adoption, &c.,
and that it is also imputed to us, for this end, that we may be thereby formally
righteous, juridically and in Law sense; and so justified, &c. And who sees
not, that it must be so, seeing we can be justified by no righteousness, which
is not a proper meritorious cause of our justification: and consequently, that
we cannot be justified by any other righteousness than the righteousness of
Christ; and so not by our own Gospel-righteousness, nor by faith, as such a
righteousness; for that cannot be a meritorious cause of our justification.
18.
This is also a considerable part of this mystery, which carnal eyes cannot see,
and which men, carried away with prejudice at the pure doctrine of the grace of
God, in the Gospel, cannot sweetly comply with; to wit. That our
justification is solely upon the account of the imputed righteousness of
Christ, and not upon the account, or because of anything wrought in us, or done
by us: and yet our obligation to holiness and conformity to the Law of God, in
all points, is not hereby in the least weakened. Paul’s frequent preoccupation with
this objection in his epistles may let us see how ready carnal hearts are to
abuse the doctrine of the grace of God, revealed in the Gospel, to carnal
liberty; and what a propensity there is in us, to look for justification upon
the account of our works only; so that if we hear of anything, to put us of
this apprehension, we presently are ready to conclude that all study of and endeavor
after holiness is wholly useless and unnecessary: and that we need not wonder
much at Socinians and others who do thus reason against the imputation of the
righteousness of Christ. But Paul clears to us a sweet consistency between free
justification upon the account of Christ’s righteousness imputed, and the
serious study of holiness. He saw no inconsistency between the study of
obedience to the Law, in all points, and the expectation of justification by
faith in Christ alone, whatever men, who would seem sharp-sighted,
and zealous for the study of holiness, do suppose they cannot but see. And
albeit men in those days were ready enough to except against free justification,
through the imputed righteousness of Christ, and to pretend that the asserting
thereof did take away all study of holiness: yet (and this is very remarkable)
the Apostle, to remove that objection, never gives the least hint of the
necessity of our works of obedience, in order to our justification. And though
he does frequently press to holiness, yet he never makes use of any argument
thereunto, which might so much as insinuate that we were justified by works, in
one measure or another. Nay, we will find, that he
draws argument pressing unto holiness, from the very nature of their Gospel
justification, and of their state by virtue thereof. And experience proves this
day: that the most effectual medium unto holiness, is
taken from free justification, through faith in Christ alone; and that the
holiness and obedience of such, as practice the orthodox doctrine,
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concerning justification, hath another heavenly
luster, (as it flows from another fountain, and stands upon another ground,)
and looks more like holiness, and universal sincere obedience, than what is to
be seen among such, as lay most weight upon their own duties, whether we speak
of Papists, Socinians, Arminians, or of others. And whatever inconsistency men
may imagine to be between free justification, through the imputed righteousness
of Christ, and the universal, sincere, and acceptable study of holiness, yet
the Gospel knows no such thing; but presses holiness, though not for this end, that
we may thereby be put into a state of justification, or might sweat and toil,
run and work for the prize, as the hire and ways of our work; yet upon more
spiritual and Gospel like grounds; and by arguments more suitable to the state
of the justified, who only are in case to perform acts of obedience, and duties
of holiness, acceptably unto God; such as the Image of God proposed for our
imitation; the perpetual obligation of His Law; the relation they stand into;
the holy appointment of God; the engagements they stand under, the spiritual
help and furniture, which is at hand, the nature of holiness itself; the genius
and kindly inclination of the new nature, whereof they are partakers; and the
many advantages thereof here and hereafter, too many, here to be mentioned. Let
any consider the arguments, used to this purpose by Paul, Romans 6th,
7th, and 8th chapters, and in many places elsewhere, and
he shall find this true.