AT the Request of some serious Friends, I have Adventured to make this Dis­course publick, which otherwise (for ought I know) had never seen the light. If any Il­lumination, Satisfaction, Confirmation, Con­solation, or any spiritual Good any way shall accrew to them that read it: I shall, and will rejoice, Blesse, and praise the Father of Lights for it.

This Argument of Justification is as sub­stantial, necessary, comfortable,Ac primum quidem de justificati­one pecca­toris co­rum Deo: qui locus in Theologiâ facile primarius, nobisque maxime salutaris est: quo obscurato, adulterato, vel everso, fieri nequit, ut puritas doctrinae in aliis locis retineatur, aut vera Ecclesia Consistat. Synop. Pur. Theol. P. 434. and sweet a Doctrine, as any in the whole circuit of Divi­nity; for, whom he hath justified, them he hath [Page 2] also glorified, Rom. 8.30. that is, they are as sure and certain of Heaven,Christus factus est nobis sapi­entia, ju­stitia, san­ctificatio, & Redemptio, hoc est, sapi­entes, nos & justos, & san­ctos, & liberos ef­fecit. Theophy­lact. as though they were already in it; Justification being the next step, the next immediate link in that Golden Chain to Glorification.

Who of God is made unto us Righteousnesse, [...], righteousness in the Abstract, that is, (saith Theophylact), who hath made us righ­teous: who is made unto us righteousnes, &c. He is made to us (saith Pareus) not by Cre­ation, but by Ordination: for Christ is not created or made as to his divine Essence, as Hereticks deprave this Scripture: but he is ordained, and bestowed upon us to confer these benefits; he is therefore said to be made to us, according to those expressions, Isa. 9.6. To us a Childe is born, to us a Son is given; And Luke 2, To you is born a Saviour, that is for our good.

He is made of God to us, &c. that is, (saithFactus est nobis, non crea­tione, sed ordinatio­ne neque enim Chri­stus crea­tus aut factus est, quoad Es­sentiam divinam, ut haeretici depravant scripturam hanc: sed ordinatus, & donatus nobis, ad haec bona conferenda, ideo di­scitur factus nobis: sicut Isaiah 9.6. puer natus est nobis, Luke 2. vobis natus est servator, id est, nostro bono. Pareus in loc. Beza) who is given to us of God, that we might obtain all wisdome, righteous­ness, holiness, &c. in him, and by him. All these interpretations, are significant and pro­per enough, but the last I best approve of, as the most genuine and consonant to the scope of the Text, and to the sense of the Apostle: only by the way note thus much, that by righ­teousness Factus est nobis sapientia a Deo, &c. id est, qui datus est nobis a Deo, ut in ipso omnem sapientiam Consequeremur, &c. idem de justitiâ, & sanctifica­tione statuendum est. Beza in loc. [Page 3] here, is, and must be meant the righ­teousness of justification; for the Apostle im­mediatly annexeth to [...], im­porting the Righteousness of Sanctification, which is the very next word. My observation shall be this: Jesus Christ was given of God to be our Righteousness, (or for our justification.)

In the prosecution of this precious and weighty Doctrine. I shall endeavour,

• 1. To prove the Point.
• 2. To open the meaning of the word Justifie.
• 3. To shew what the justification of a sinner before God, is.
• 4. What are the essential parts of our justification.
• 5. The several Causes of our justifica­tion.
• 6. The Fruits and Consequences of our justification.
• 7. And lastly, Close all with a brief Ap­plication for proof.

1. Jesus Christ was decreed, designed, or­dained, and determined to be his peoples righ­teousness, propitiation, and redemption: the justification and redemption of a sinner is ac­cording to Gods purpose, and grace, given us in Christ Jesus before the world began, 2 Tim. 1.9. which according to the immutability of his Counsel was in the fulness of time ac­complisht. That in Daniel is very emphati­cal, Dan. 9:34. To bring in everlasting righte­ousness; 'tis in the original, a Righteousness of Eternities: So in Heb. 9.12. it it said, that [Page 4] Christ obtained eternal Redemption for us. Our Redemption,Eternal a parte an­te, & a parte post. or Righteousness may be cal­led Eternal, upon a double accompt:

1. Eternal, in reference to the eternal De­cree of God, and so a Righteousness from E­ternity.

2. External, in reference to the everlasting duration of the vertue of it; the great and glo­rious Benefits that accrue to Believers by ver­tue of this Righteousness, extend their ver­tue, continue their influence throughout the endless duration of Eternity. 'Tis a Righte­ousness from all Eternity, and a Righteous­ness unto all Eternity, Rom. 3.25. Whom God hath set forth (from everlasting, or fore-ap­pointed) to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, [...]. quem pro­posuit De­us propiti­ationem. Montan. to declare his righteousness, &c. Christ was A. Lamb slain from the beginning of the world, Rev. 13.8. (viz.) in the eternal purpose and Decree of God.

2. Consider Christs glorious Name. This is his Name wherewith he shall be called, the Lord our Righteousness, Jer. 23.6. This is like his other Name Jesus, the same in substance with this, Matth. 1.21. by the Oracle of an Angel, his Name must be called Jesus, for he shall save his people from their sins, (i. e.) from the power, guilt, and condemnation of sin.

3. 'Tis the office of Jesus Christ as our High Priest, to be our Righteousness. Jesus Christ was [...]: he was our Redeemer, the price of our Redemption, a Counter-price; our Redemption and revoca­tion [Page 5] from Captivity, he was both the propi­tiatory and propitiation; he was Priest, he was Altar, he was Sacrifice, he was All in All,Jam fru­ctum osten­dit quem ex Christi sacrificio consequu­ti sumus, nimirum ut justi coram Deo essemus, qui naturâ impuri, & sumus. Marlorat. in 2 Cor. 5.21. to make us the righteousness of God in him, 2 Cor. 5. ult. that is, that we who are impure sin­ners by nature, through the sacrifice of Christ, might become righteous before God.

He is our Advocate,1 Joh. 2.2. and propitiation Jesus Christ the Righteous; yea, he is our [...], our propitiatory, or placatory,Rom. 3.25. alluding to the Mercy-seat.1 Cor. 5.7. He is our Passeover sa­crificed for us; he is the Lamb of God slain for us, that the wrath of God might pass o­ver,1 Pet. 1.18. and pass away for ever from us, and not fall down upon our heads: if your hearts and Consciences are sprinkled with the blood of Christ, as the Door-posts of the Children of Israel were with the blood of the Paschal-lamb,Exod. 12.7 the wrath of God will for ever pass by you, and not pass upon you. Thus Jesus Christ is a merciful and faithful High-priest, Heb. 2.17. merciful to us in misery, pittying us in our guilt and blood, faithful to God, and to us also in the faithful discharge of his Priestly Office for us; in being our Price, our Ran­som, in discharging our Bond, in pacifying the Fathers wrath, in satisfying divine Ju­stice, in finishing Transgression, in making an end of sin, in bringing in everlasting Righteousnesse, and so in bringing us to God.1 Pet. 3.18. Now as he is our merciful and faithful High [Page 6] Priest:Justitia, hoc est, ju­stificator noster, do­nans nos vera justitiâ coram Deo per fidem. Ad sacerdotale munus Christi hoc perti­net. Pareus in 1 Cor. 1.30. so he is our Righteousnesse, (1) our Justifyer, endowing us with a perfect Righ­teousness before God through faith; this be­longs to the Priestly Office of Christ.

Jesus Christ is the Author, or the procu­ring cause of our justification, as he is the Author of our eternal Salvation.Heb. 5.9. And this he doth two wayes:

1. By making an Atonement for us on Earth.

2. By making intercession for us in Hea­ven: He hath made reconciliation for us by his blood upon the Crosse, Rom. 5.1 [...]. and he doth continue to make intercession for us by the prevalent and loud cryes of the same blood in Heaven, Heb. 12.24. He is gone up to Heaven to appear in the presence of God for us;Heb. 9.24. just as Aaron (a type of Christ) Exod. 28.12, 29. and 30. verses, was to bear the name of the children of Israel (a figure of all the Elect of God) engraven in precious stones upon his Shoulders, and upon his Heart, when he went into the holy Place, for a memorial before the Lord continually. So our Lord Christ is entred into the Heavens, with red and glorious Garments, to appear in the pre­sence of God for us: there is not the least Be­liever but his name is (as it were) engraven upon the Shoulders, Breast-plate, and Heart of Christ. Of all cryes the cryes of blood are the strongest, the loudest, whether for, or a­gainst [Page 7] a guilty person. Abels blood cryed a­loud to God for vengeance,Gen. 4.10. but this blood of sprinkling speaketh better things than that of Abels: it pleads, sues, presses hard for a dis­charge from all thy sins, and enemies: it cryes aloud for mercy, peace and pardon. Lord (saith Christ) here is my price, and my pur­chase, my Redemption, and my redeemed Ones; here is my Righteousness, and here are the persons justified by it: whatever charge or guilt lyes upon them, here are the shoulders that have sustained the weight of thy wrath, which was their due, upon these shoulders, and in this heart, thou mayest be­hold all their names engraven, acquit and ab­solve th m for my sake; Father, I will that they be righteous by my Righteousness, and glorious with my Glory; My tears, my stripes, my wounds, my groans, my anguish, my Blood, the tortures of my Body, the torments of my Soul do all pray, and plead prevai­lingly, that all believing sinners be justified, and saved. Thus Christ appears in Heaven, with red Garments, with Garments rolled in blood, and with the whites of peace, par­don, justification, and absolution upon the red: with all the names of his justified, san­ctified ones engraven upon his shoulders, and upon his heart before the Lord continually, to present his everlasting Righteousness to the Father for us, to present our persons as righteous, and spotless, enwrap'd in that glo­rious Robe of Righteousness, and to impro­priate and apply his everlasting Righteousness. to us.

[Page 8]Thus I have proved, that Christ is our Righ­teousness.

Vox justi­ficandi [...] & inde justificati­onis, [...], pro­priè, & fere sem­per forinseca, & forensis actio est, judicis, & judicii, scilicet in rei absolutione, condemnationi opposita. Synop. Pur. Theol. p. 434. Justificare absolvere à est, morte, non condemnare. Syntag. Polan. p. 455.2. We come in the next place to open the meaning of the word (justifie.)

Justification is a Law-state, and the words [...], and [...] (from [...]) are ver­ba forensia, or judicial, or Court-Terms, ta­ken from Courts of Justice: It imports the absolution of a guilty person, the word justi­fication, is in holy Writ opposed to condemna­tion. To justifie, saith Polanus, is to absolve from death, not to condemn.

Though justificare sometimes may note as much as justum facere: if you respect the no­tation of the Latin word, as magnificare im­porteth to magnifie, or make great; neither is it to be doubted, but that the Lord doth con­stitute, or make those just, whom he justifi­eth, they are just, both by the imputation of Christs Righteousness, which is out of them in Christ, as being his personal righteousness, and by infusion of righteousness, as it were by influence into them from Christ their Head; to the faithful belongs a two-fold Righteous­ness, the one of Justification, the other of San­ctification:Reverend Downam's Treatise of Justificati­on. p. 2, 3. I shall make it evident (saith the learned Bishop Downame) that the Hebrew Hitsdiq, and the Greek [...] is, verbum fo­rense, a judicial word taken from Courts of justice, which being attributed to the Judge is [Page 9] opposed to Condemnation, and signifieth, to absolve,Justificare est justum reputare, justum pro­nunciare. or to give sentence with the party questioned. Thus far he. So that to justi­fie both from Scriptures and the writings of the Fathers, is as much as to absolve, or acquit a believing sinner from guilt, and condemna­tion, and to accept him as righteous through the righteousness of Jesus Christ. To justifie, is to repute, and pronounce a man just or righteous. Justification is opposed to Con­demnation, Rom. 8.33. it is God that justifies, [...] not one con­demnation to them that are in Christ J sus. Rom. 8.1. i. e. acquits, absolves, who shall condemn? so the word is taken, Deut. 25.1. The Judges are commanded to justifie the righteous, and to condemn the wicked: l [...]kewise, Prov. 17.15. he that justifies the wicked, and condemns the righteous, they are both an abomination to the Lord. So also is this w [...]rd taken in a Law sense, Psalm 143.2. Lord enter not into judgement with thy servant, for in thy sight shall no man be justified. Rom. 5.16. Judgment was by one to condemnation, but the free Gift is of many offences to justification. Now the Scrip­ture speaks of a righteousness of the Cause, and of a righteousness of the Person.

1. Of the Cause,1. Justi­tia Causae. When a man in other respects sinful, may be said in this, or that particular cause, or matter to be innocent, or just: as in the case of Abimelech, Gen. 20.5. touching the matter of Sarah; he pleads the integrity of his heart, and the innocency of his hands, &c.

2. Of the Person.2. Justi­tia Perso­nae. That is the universal conformity of the whole man, and of all his actions to the holy Law of God, and this two-fold:

• [Page 10]1. Legal.
• 2. Evangelical.

1. Legal, By the Law and the works there­of,Hac justi­ficatione Angeli sancti fru­untur. Polan. Mat. 3.15. Rom. 8.3, 4. hereby the Man Christ Jesus, and none but he on earth, was in a strict sense legally just and righteous, he only fulfilled all righ­teousness, even the righteousness of the whole Law, and the Holy Angels are thus justi­fied.

2. Evangelical, That (in short) is this: through faith in Christs righteousness a belie­ving sinner is justified before God, in foro coe­li, in the Court of Heaven:Rom. 5.1. Finis per­ficiens non interfici­ens. And Christ is the end of the Law for righteousness to every one that believeth, Rom. 10.4. we ought directly to go to Christ for justification, and not to go back to Moses; by him all that believe, are ju­stified from all things, Acts 13.38, 39. from which ye could not be justified by the Law of Moses; a sense whereof a believer hath more or lesse, in foro Conscientiae, in his own conscience: Rom. 14.17. The king­dome of God is not meat and drink, but righte­ousness, and peace, and joy in the holy Ghost, Rom. 5. from the 12. to the end, proves at large our sole and whole justification by the righ­teousness of One, even Jesus Christ. In a word, the Lord accepteth, and reputeth a guilty unworthy sinner (yet believing) as righteous, by the free imputation of the righ­teousness of Christ unto him.

Thus much for the Terms (Justifie) and (Justification.)

3. We come in the third place to the defi­nition of Justification. I am not ignorant, that [Page 11] the definitions thereof are many, but the most clear and comprehensive I take to be this: ‘What is Justification?’

Answ. Justification is a most merciful and righteous Action of God as Judge, whereby,Definition of justifi­cation. imputing the righteousness of Christ to a be­lieving sinner, he absolveth him from his sins, and accepteth of him as righteous in Christ, and as an heir of eternal life, to the praise and glory of his own mercy and justice. All which (at leastwise for the most part) is com­prehended in, Rom. 3.23, 24, 25, 26.

I do not intend at this time to prosecute the parts of this Definition at large, but only speak to two things in transitu:

1. The justification of a sinner is an Act of God, as Lord Law-giver, and Judge, Rom. 8, 33. it is God that justifieth, the whole Trinity,Opera Tri­nitatis ad extra sunt indivisa. Father, Son, and Spirit, Jam. 4.12. There is one Law-giver, who is able to save and to de­stroy: none but the offended Majesty can par­don mans offences; 'Tis the injured Deity that saith, I even, I am he, that blotteth out thy Transgressions, for mine own sake, and will not re­member thy sins, Isa. 43.25. O glorious and gracious Word! Hee that will by no meanes clear the guilty, having received satisfaction in his Son, by the imputation of his Sons righ­teousness justifies the ungodly, acquits them from the guilt of sin,Rom. 4.5. and accepts them as righ­teous in his sight.

2. The righteousness of justification (qua­tenus justification) works not a real inherent change in us, which is done in sanctification, [Page 12] but makes a relative change without us, and upon us, as it is a judicial act of God, an act of God as Law-giver and Judge, in opposi­tion to Condemnation. Justification makes a relative change or mutation, in respect of a mans estate or condition: a guilty person is pronounced righteous, the sinful Debtor is discharged; an Enemy is now reconciled, a miserable captive is redeemed, a childe of wrath is made a Son of God, and an un­worthy worm an heir of Glory. These are relative mutations, though they that are ju­stified, are also together sanctified; in order of Time these acts of grace are wrought to­gether, but in order of Nature justification is the Antecedent, and sanctification is the Con­sequent; and mark it, where justification changeth a mans Relation (to God, and E­ternity) there sanctification changeth a mans disposition, and renews the soul with inward holiness: both are the sacred effluxes from Christs righteousness; the first is wrought by the righteousness of Christ imputed, the o­ther by the righteousness of Christ imparted; one by Christs personal righteousness, the o­ther by way of influence,Christ is both caput eminentiae, & caput influentiae. and infusion from Christ as Head. Wee ought to take great heed least we confound justification with san­ctification, as Bellarmine, and the Papists do.

4. In the fourth place, we come to shew the essential parts of our justification, and these are two:

• 1. Absolution from sin.
• 2. Acceptation as righteous in Christ.

[Page 13]Both which, the Lord granteth by the ple­nary, and perfect satisfaction made to his Law and justice by Jesus Christ, both our Surety, and Mediatour: by which he satisfied the Law in both parts:

1. He satisfied the Law in respect of the penalty, by his Passion, or passive righteous­ness, undergoing the Curse for us, Gal. 3.13.

2. He satisfied the Law in respect of the Precept by his perfect active righteousnesse, habitual and actual: but neither of these can be severed any where from the other:Rom 3.4. And these which God hath so indissolvably joined, let no man put assunder, each hath its pro­per interest in, and respective contribution toward the satisfying the injured honour of Gods Law; for the honour of Gods Law is the equity of both its parts, its Command, and its threatning. Christs active righteous­ness, the obedience of the Great God-man, hath honoured the equity of the first, (viz.) repaired the honour of Gods Commandments, broken by sinful man. And his passive righ­teousness in like manner, honours the equity of the Threatning; Christ himself dies, to justifie that the sinner is worthy of Death; and by offering up himself as a sacrifice on the Crosse, he proclaims to all the world, that sin is exceeding sinful, and that God is ex­ceeding jealous. Again, Consider,See Walle­bius his Body of Di­vinity, with the Notes of Mr. Rosse p. 109. Christs active Righteousness was every where pas­sive, (the distinction of active and passive is needless) and his passive righteousness every where active.

[Page 14]1. His active Righteousnesse was every where passive, because all of it was done in the form of a Servant:Christs o­bedience is an ac­tive Pas­sion, and a passive Action. ibid. in our nature he obeyed the Law, in his very incarnation he was pas­sive, for therein he suffered an e [...]clipse of the glory of his God-head.

2. His Passive Righteousness was every where active; because what he suffered, was not by constraint, or against his will, it was his own voluntary act and deed, all along he eyed his Fathers Glory, and the good of man­kind; Ah! take that instance, the Greatest of his sufferings, his very dying was the pro­duct, both of the freeness of his love, and of the majesty of his power, John 10.17, 18. Re­vel. 1.5. Read those melting Texts, and chew the Cud upon them. But to return. The Law hath two branches:

• 1. The Commination, or the Curse.
• 2. The Precept, or Commandment: so there are two parts of justification.

1. Absolution from the Curse of the Law, this is done by Christs sufferings: the Prince of Life dyed, the Lord of Glory became a Curse for us.

2. Acceptation as righteous in Christ, this is done by the imputation of Christs perfect righ­teousness to us,Rom. 8 3, 4. Rom. 5.17, 18. both habitual and actual. Thus Jesus Christ is the end of the Law for righte­ousness to every one that believeth, for to them that believe in him he hath fulfilled all righte­ousness: but I must confess, by reason of the most strict Connexion between these two, (viz.) imputation of righteousness and re­mission [Page 15] of sins, the one doth comprehend or conclude the other:Propter arctissi­mam [...], una alte­ram Complectitur [...]; quamvis, justificatio [...] in peccatorum remissione Constituatur. Synop. Pur. Theol. p. 436. justi­ficatio peccatoris, est remissio peccatorum, siguratè nimirum & metoni­micè loquendo, quia remissio peccatorum est causa sormalis justificatio­nis peccatoris, &c. Syntag. Polan. p. 445. as Rom. 4.22. and justifi­fication, [...] is oftentimes placed in the remission of sins: as Psalm 32.1. Rom. 4.7.

We are justified by Christs obedience, both active and passive: but I confess chiefly by the latter: The Scripture in many places seems to lay the stress principally (or at least synechdo­chically) upon the Blood, the Death, the Crosse of Christ, Ephes. 1.7. Heb. 9.12, 14. Rom. 5.10 Ephes. 2.13. Col. 2.13, 14. Revel. 1.5, 6. Rom. 5.8, 9. Cum multis aliis, &c.

Before I proceed to the fifth General pro­pounded to be spoken to, I think it not unne­cessary to enquire,Forma dat esse. what is the form of Christs satisfaction, which renders it satisfactory to God, and justificatory to man? I answer, The infinite merit of what he did and suffer­ed: which infinite Merit stands.

1. In the dignity of his Person, the fulness of the God-head dwelt in him bodily, Col. 2.9, 14. Now for the work of a servant to be don 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 his passive righteousness infinitely meritorious;Acts 20, 28. 1 Joh. 1.7. No wonder the blood of Christ cleanseth from all sin, for it is the blood of God, [Page 16] by the figure, called by the Ancients [...], Communication of properties: the blood of the Man Christ Jesus, is called the blood of God. And this is the reason, why the righteousness of one, redounds to all (the E­lect) for the justification of life, Rom. 5.18, 19. The doings and sufferings of this Glo­rious Person the Lord our righteousnesse, (though for a few years) were infinitely [...] more va­lue, than all, that all the creatures in Heaven or Earth could have done or suffered to eter­nity;Heb. 1.6. the very Man Christ Jesus is above all the Angels, for he is the Man Gods fellow, an high Word.Zech. 13.7. And this infinite worthiness of the Redeemers Person ye have excellently described, as the irradiating and infinitely ex­alting all he did and suffered. Consult these Texts, Heb. 1.1, 2, 3. Phil. 2.6, 7, 8, 9, 10.

2. The righteousness of Jesus Christ is of infinite merit, and a meer supererogation of an infinitely Glorious Person.

1. His active Righteousness stood in his o­bedience to the Ceremonial and Moral Law.

1. His obedience to the ceremonial Law, was a meer supererogation; What? for the substance to comply with the shadows? for the Anti-type to do homage to its own Types? besides, he submitted to those Ordinances, the end and institution whereof supposeth Guilt; what fore-skin of iniquity had he to be cut off by Circumcision? what filth to be wash't away in Baptism?Luke 1.21.22. Luk. 3.21. yet he was circum­cised and baptized, and his Mother offered for her purification.

[Page 17]2. His obedience to the moral Laws, Al­though it must be granted as man, it was his duty, yet it was not his duty to become man;Gal. 4.4. his incarnation was a work of supererogation, the Law did never command that the eternal Son of the living God should take upon him the form of a Servant, keep the Law, suffer and die. This cond scention of his was whol­ly free and arbitrary; what but his own in­finite love could move the eternal Word to pitch his Tent in our Nature? What else could move the Lord of the World to be­come a servant? the Antient of Dayes to become a Childe? or the Son of God to be the Son of Mary?

And as his Active, so also his passive righ­teousnesse was a meet supererogation. What had divine Justice to do with the holy Childe Jesus? Had it not been for his own eternal compact with the Father: he was a sinlesse Person, the Lamb of God without spot; he suffered not for himself,Dan. 9.26. he that knew no sin was made sin for us, (i. e.) a sacrifice for our sins, that we might be made the righteousness of God in him, 2 Cor. 5.21.

3. The stamp of Gods Appointment high­ly dignifies (as to us) Christs righteousness, and renders it acceptable to God, and meri­torious for our benefit. The Assignment and appointment of God the Father sets a great value on it; God was in Christ reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing to men their trespasses, a Cor. 5.19. the reconciliation, or justification of a sinner, is as much the Fa­thers [Page 18] as the Sons Act. Christ frequently de­clares in the Gospel of John, John 6. that he came into the world, to do the will of him that sent him. Christ received his mission and Commission from the Father for our justifi­cation. Mark that notable place, Heb. 10.6, 7, 9, 10. In burnt-offerings, and sacrifices for sin, thou hast had no pleasure (the Lord did not delight in the blood of Bulls, Goats or Calves, those bruitish sacrifices): vers. 7. then, said I, (the words of Christ) Lo I come, (in the Volume of the Book it is written of me) to doe Thy Will, O God. Mark that, ver. 9. Then, said he, lo, I come to do thy will: (O God) He taketh away the first, the first sort of sacrifices, that he may establish the second, (viz.)—sacri­fice of his Son, vers. 10. by the which Will, we are sanctified, (i. e.) saved, through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. Dr. Owen, in his Death of Deaths: and Mr. Caryl, in his Le­ctures on Job. Some of our Great Divines judiciously judge, that much of the merit of Christs Passion doth arise from the eternal Compact, and assign­ment of the Father, (not excluding the o­ther considerations). Now we pass on.

5. To the fifth Query, and that is this, what are the severall causes concurring to our justification?

A. I answer, The causes of our justifica­tion are these four chiefly:

• 1. The Efficient.
• 2. The Material.
• 3. The Formal.
• 4. The finall Cause.

1. The Efficient cause, and that is two-fold, either principal, or instrumental.

[Page 19]1. The principal. God, the whole Trini­ty, Father, Son, and Spirit. Justification be­ing an outward action, ad extra, respecting the creatures, is the common Act of the whole Trinity. God, (the whole Trinity) doth ju­stifie as Law-giver, and Judge, Jam. 4.12. There is one Law-giver able to save, and to destroy, he is the Judge of all the Earth; by sin we became Gods Debtors, and owed him many thousand Talents, Christ our Surety payes our Debts, and God dischargeth us; by sin we were enemies and ungodly, Christ our Mediatour reconciles us enemies,In summa, nemo ad fidei justi­tiam per­veniet, nisi qui in se erit impi­us. Calv. in Rom. 4.5. and ju­stifies us, by Nature ungodly, yea, God in Christ reconciles us to himself, not imputing to us our trespasses, a Cor. 5.19. And this is both a gracious, and a righteous Act of God;

1. A gracious act, Rom. 3.25. we are ju­stified truely by his Grace, 2 Tim. 1.9. Ephes. 2.5. we are saved by Grace.

2. A righteous act of God: hereby he emi­nently declares his Righteousness, Rom. 3.26. the Apostle brings it in with an ingeminati­on, to declare, I say, his righteousnesse, that he might be just, and the justifier of him that believeth in Jesus; the righteousness of Christ making plenary, yea redundant, and supera­bundant satisfaction to offended justice; his justice being satisfied, yea, honoured with Christs righteousness. Now, he is not only merciful, but also faithful and just to forgive us our sins, 1 John 1.7. Now there is a blessed Harmony between the divine Attributes: righteousness and mercy do sweetly embrace [Page 20] and kiss each other, the Glory of both shine forth most illustriously in, and by the bloody passion of the Son of God.

Now the Acts of God, the principal Effi­cient cause are to be distinguished according to the distinction of the three persons.

1. The Father justifies, as the primary Cause and Authour: he gave his only be­gotten Son for our justification and salvati­on, John 3.16.

2. The Father justifies as Legislatour, en­acting by his Soveraign Authority, that sweet Law of the New Covenant, by vertue where­of, every believing sinner is justified from the guilt 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 Gods own act and Deed, the great Instrumentum pacis betwen God and man: the Tenour of the Gospel (our Magna Charta) runs, that he that believeth shall be saved.

3. The Father justifies as a Judge, in ab­solving those that believe, and in pronouncing them just in Christ, and that in three respects:

1 God ju­stifies up­on belie­ving actu­ally.1. God justifies a believing sinner upon his believing actually: by Faith we are thus ju­stified, Rom. 5.1. Gal. 3.8. By believing he hath a Title good in Law, an indefesible right to all the promises of the Covenant, God then owns, and approves of him as a person justified.

2. Parti­cularly at Death. Heb. 12.23.2. At the moment of dissolution God ju­stifies a Believer particularly. (as the Judge of all, and the Judge of all the Earth); passing a [Page 21] particular private Sentence of everlasting life upon every believing Soul.

3. Eminently at the Day of Judgment,3. Emi­nently at the day of judgment. God justi­fies at the last day, by the man Christ Je­sus. Act. 17.31. when the Antient of Dayes shall take the Throne, when the Son of Man appearing in power and great Glory, shall in open Court before all the world by publick Sentence, for ever acquit and discharge Believers at that so­lemn and Great Day.

Thus the Father justifies.

2. Jesus Christ the Son justifies, as the Me­diatour and meritorious Cause of our justifi­cation, and that in two respects:

1. As our Surety he paid our Debt,Christ is both: [...], and: [...], a Surety and a Media­tour. [...], re­demptionis precium. and as our Redeemer he laid down the price of our Redemption, Rom. 3.23. wee are justified freely by the Grace of God, and yet through the redemption that is in Christ. His blood was the [...], the price of our redemption, Ephes. 1.7. in whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgivenesse of sins, according to the riches of his Grace; he is the Mediatour of reconciliation between God and Man.

2. Christ justifies as our Advocate and In­tercessor, presenting our persons, pleading our cause, prevailing with his Father by the speak­ings of his blood, that the vertue of his me­rits may be applied to us, Rom. 8.34. It is God that justifies, who shall condemn? 'tis Christ that died, yea, rather that is risen again, who also maketh intercession for us: there is a rather put upon the resurrection, and ascention of Christ, 1 John 2.2. we have an Advocate with the Fa­ther, [Page 22] Jesus Christ the righteous. Thus Christ justifies.

3. The Spirit justifies as the Applicatory Cause, he doth reveal and apply to us the righteousness of Christ for our justification.

1. The Spirit, as the Spirit of Wisdome and Revelation reveals, and discovers this Robe of Glory to us, this Garment of Salvation: Though the Father hath given the Son, and the Son hath given himself for our righteous­ness, yet 'tis the Spirit that applyes this righ­teousness: Revelation and Application is his peculiar Office.

2. As the Spirit of Regeneration working in us the grace of Faith,Directly. which is one of the fruits of the Spirit,Causa Causae est ociam, cau­sae Causati. whereby we receive and apprehend Christ the Lord our righteousness, unto our justification in the Court of Heaven: the Spirit justifieth as he is the cause of the cause the Author of Faith that justifies.

Reflec­tively.3. As a Spirit of Adoption, by confirming our Faith, by working in us the assurance of our justification, by sealing us up unto the day of Redemption, the Spirit it self beareth wit­ness with our spirits, that we are the children of God, Rom. 8.16, 17. Thus the righteous­ness of God by the revelation of the Spirit is revealed from Faith to Faith, Rom. 1.17.

Thus much for the principal efficient cause.

2. The instrumental or ministring causes are the Word of God, and Faith.

The Gos­pel is ma­nus Dei offerentis.1. The ministry of the Word, is the in­strumental cause on Gods part, faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the Word, Rom. 10.17. [Page 23] and in Gal. 3.2. the Gospel is called the hear­ing of Faith. God in his Word by his Mini­sters, doth as it were beseech sinners to be re­conciled to him, 2 Cor. 5.19, 20. The Word of God is the vehiculum spiritus, the Charriot of the Spirit, wherein he rides: the Word is the Wardrope,Isa. 61.10. Matth. 14.44. wherein this glorious Robe of Righteousness is laid up, 'tis the goodly Field wherein this heavenly treasure is to be found.

2. The second instrumental cause is Faith:Faith is manus ac­cipientis. Faith is the hand of the Soul, whereby we re­ceive Christ, and apply his righteousnesse,Non [...]. 1. Primo, & per se, ut quali­tas propriè aut motus, actio vel, vel passio, aut opus a­liquod bo­num, & eximii pre­cii, quasi ipsa sit ju­stitia, aut ejus pars, aut etiam justitiae loco, ex cen­su, & esti­matione Dei, sed [...], secundario, & secundum aliud, nempe ut modus medium & instrumentum ceu oculus & manus qua Christi, ejus (que) participes reddimur, adeoque relativè ad objectum Iesum ipsius justitiam, & pro­missiones gratiae. Synop. Pur. Theol. p. 442. John 1.12. Faith justifies, Rom. 5.1. But how doth faith justifie? Faith justifies, as one ex­presseth it vi legis latae, as it is our evangeli­cal righteousness, or our keeping the Gospel Law; Faith pretends to no merit, nor vertue of its own, but professedly avows its depen­dance upon the merit of Christs satisfaction, as our legal righteousness, on which it layeth hold; its excellency ariseth from Gods Sanction, who made choyce of this act of Believing to the honour of Justification, because it layes the creature low, and so highly exalteth Christ. The Act of believing is as the Silver: Gods Authority in the Gospel-Sanction, is as the Kings Image stampt upon it; which gives it all its value as to justification, without this stamp, it could never have been currant. Faith doth not justifie as an habit, act, work, or qua­lity, (as the Papists say) but as an instrument [Page 24] or hand to receive Christ and his righteous­ness;Undè fi­des impu­tatur ad justitiam, ut Paulus loquitur. Rom 4 5. Non qua­tenus est qualitas nobis in­haerens, nec quatenus est opus, multo mi­nùs quate­nus est me­ritum, sed metonymiâ adjuncti correlati­vè intelle­ctâ per vocem fi­dei justitia Christi, quâm fides apprehen­dit, ut pa­tet ex eo­dem. cap. 4. v. 11, 13. And a­gain, nec quatenus est cultus Dei, & radi [...] omnium aliorum bonorum operum: sed quatenus nos Christo conglutina: & un [...]m cum illo facti, partic pati [...]ne justitiae ejus f [...]uamur. Polan. p. 456 Faith is an empty and a naked thing without its Object. Faith puts on this Robe of Glory, and wraps the Soul in it; but 'tis this glorious Robe, Christs righteousness that justifies. 'Tis very certain, that the [...] credere cannot, doth not justifie, as Socinus, and Ar­minius teach, it doth: 'Tis true, 't s said, Rom. 4.5. Faith is imputed for righteousnesse, and is accepted of God through Christ for the per­formance of the whole Law: but this is to be understood metonimically, and relatively in respect of Christ the object of faith, who is the end and perfection of the Law to them that believe, by fulfilling the righteousness of the Law for them. Faith invites a Soul to Christ, brings it into Union with his Person, and so into communion of his righteousness.

And then for works: what shall we say of them? The Apostle is peremptory and abso­lute in his Conclusion Rom. 3.28. Therefore we conclude, that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the Law. So also, Gal. 2.16 Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the Law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, &c. that is, by the works which Christ hath done in our stead, by the obedience of Christ, which we apply to our selves by Faith alone: saith Polanus.

[Page 25]Faith justifies a sinner before God, and works justifie Faith, and demonstrate to the world, and to our own consciences that our faith is not dead and barren, but (Jam. 2.4.) Living, because fruitful; faith as working, doth not justifie, but found justifying faith is a wor­king faith.

2. VVe come to consider the essential ma­terial cause of our justification, that very thing, which is our righteousness, which God impu­teth to us, and accepteth on our behalf.

To this I answer. 1. Negatively,1. Nega­tively. what it is not.

1. It cannot be our own righteousness in­herent in us, because inchoate and imperfect,Justitiam, qua-coram Tribunali Dei Consi­stimus, per­fectam omnibus numeris partibus, & gradi­bus esse necesse est. Quid e­nim ex se agere poterat, ut semel amissam justitiam recuperaret, home servus peccati vinctus Diaboli? assignata est proinde aliena qui caruit suâ. Bernard. and the righteousness of justification, must be most absolute & perfect, by the works of the Law shall no flesh be justified, (1) no meer man, Rom. 3.20. We may therefore cry out with Ber­nard; what is man that is a servant of sin, a Bondslave of the Devil, able of himself to do, for the recovery of righteousness once lost? there is therefore the righteousness of another assigned to him, who hath lost his own.

2. Nor secondly is it the righteousness of Christ, meerly and solely (as man) considered: though that was pure and spotless, yet it was not in­finite, and meritorious; for Christ taking upon him an humane nature, was bound to keep the the Law, being made of a woman, he was also [Page 26] made under the Law; under the Covenant of Works:Gal. 4.3, 4. the obedience of Christ meerly as man, had been no work of supererogation as to us, it would have served to justify himself; but without the personal Union, there would have been no redundancy, or over-flowing of merit in it, to justify those millions of guilty miscreants,Non prop­ter scip­sum, sed propter no­stram salu­tem, & [...]b demoli­tionem mortis, & Condemnationem, Christus Advenit. Athanas. O­rat. Tertia contra Arrian. who through the infinite grace of the Father by the blood of the Son are justified. Wherefore Christ came not for him­self, but for our salvation, &c. saith Atha­nasius.

Non est es­sentialis justitia Dei, ut An­dreas Osi­ander con­tendebat, cujus erro­rem refu­tavit. Cal­vin. Insti­tut. tertio libro.2. It is not the Essential Righteousness of the God-head, not that righteousness where­with God is righteous, 'tis not the righteous­ness of Christ as God solely, though it is cal­led the righteousness of God, 2 Cor. 5.21. Rom. 1.17. and so called, because 'tis the righte­ousness of him, who is truly God, as well as truly man, in one person: and 'tis the righte­ousness which God appointeth, and accepteth for our justication. But it is not the Essen­tial uncreated righteousness of God, which being the Essence of God, cannot be commu­nicated to any creature, much less can it be­come the accidental righteousness of any crea­ture.

2. Posi­tively.2. Positively, that which is our righte­ousness for justification. It is the most Ade­quate and perfect obedience of Jesus Christ the Mediatour God-man to the whole Law of [Page 27] God. Consisting in a most exact conformity of his whole humane Nature with all its ac­tions and passions thereunto: whereby,Justitia Iesu Chri­sti, per quam ju­stificamur coram Deo, est perfectissima totius legis divinae obedientia, consistens in exactissimâ totius naturae Humanae Christi, omniumque Actionum, & passionum ejus internarum, & externarum conformitate, cum tota lege Dei, quam loco nostro persectissime implevit, ut nobis a morte aeternâ liberationem, & jus vitae aeternae acquireret. Syntag Polan. p. 457. both actively, and passively he fulfill'd the Law most perfectly.

For proof you may please to read, Rom. 8.3, 4. Gal. 4.3, 4. Rom. 5.16, 17, 18, 19. For as by one mans disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous, vers. 19. O Believers, this Garment of Sun-beams wrought out for ye by the Sun of righteousness, must needs be glo­rious: if ye consider,

1. That Christs humane Nature was never stained neither with original, nor actual sin: for by his divine Conception by the Holy Ghost, he received of his Virgin Mother, a pure un-deflowred, Virgin Nature, which all along he kept immaculate.

2. The Humane nature in him is dignifi­ed with Union to the Divine, to the second person in the Trinity, in which it doth sub­sist; as God descended to the lowest to be­come man, so now man, (viz.) the humane Nature ascendeth to the highest, to be perso­nally one with God. 'Tis the righteousness of Christ the Mediatour [...] God-man, in one person, though inherent in the Hu­mane [Page 28] Nature, and performed by it. And this is that which, by communication of pro­perties, gives infinite value, vertue, and eter­nal efficacy to the obedience of Jesus Christ; wherefore 'tis called the righteousness of God. This I must profess to be the chief stay of my faith, and the principal foundation of my comfort, that He is Jehovah our righteousness, Jer. 23.6. that he who is God blessed for e­ver,Rom. 9.5. is the root and off spring of David; that 'tis the Prince of Life that died, Acts 3.15. that the Lord of Glory was crucified, 1 Cor. 2.8. that, that blood, which is the price of my redemp­tion and justification is the blood of God; that he that was in the form of God, Acts 20.28. and thought it no robbery to be equal with God did humble himself, and became obedient to the death of the Crosse for me,Phil. 2.6, 8 Gal. 2.20. which whole humiliation of Jesus Christ God-man, from his concepti­on to his crucifixion,Some say, it consists both in applicatio­ne & pro­nunciatio­ne ipsius Dei. Justitia Dei est non peccare: justitia bo­minis, est non impu­tari pecca­tum. Bernard Serm 23. [...] Can [...]c. especially his bloody passion, is the material cause of our justifi­cation.

Thus much for the essential material Cause of our justification.

3. What is the formal Cause of our justification?

I answer, 'Tis the imputation of Christs Righteousness, because by imputing and ap­plying it to us, he is pleased to justify us, Rom. 4.11. Psalm 32.1. Rom. 4.8. 2 Cor. 5.19. Acts 10.43. Acts 13.28, 29. St. Ambrose, Bishop Downame and others do express it by this simile; When Rebecca cloathed her son Jacob with the garments of her elder son E­sau, the matter of the action, was the garment [Page 29] of Esau, which being applyed to him did co­ver him; but the form of the action was the applying it to him, the indution, or putting it upon him; so the matter of our justification is Christs righteousness, the formal cause of our justification, is the Fathers imputing, or applying Christs righteousness to us. The Apostle most clearly argues, by way of com­parison between Adam and Christ;Rom. 5.17, 18, 19. how could the disobedience of Adam be made ours for condemnation? or the obedience of Christ be made ours for justification unto life? but only by imputation, seeing they are both tran­sient Acts. A learned Philosopher tells us,Motus non est, nisi dum fit, postquam factus est. non est. Jul. Sca­liger. That a motion, whether action, or passion, hath no being, but while it is in doing, or suf­fering, but after it is done, it hath no being: the disobedience of the one, and the obedi­ence of the other; the transgression of A­dam and the righteousness of Christ, can be no way conveyed to us, but by imputation: which term of imputation of Christs righteous­ness, (notwithstanding the Papists scoffing at it, and calling it putative righteousness) is used ten times in Rom. 4.

4. The End or final Cause for which God doth justifie a sinner by imputation of Christs righteousness, and that is either supream, or subordinate.Utriusque enim, & misericor­diae, & justitiae admirabile hic tempe­ramentum relucet.

1. The supream End, is the manifestation of the Glory, both of his justice and mercy, as both which concur in all his works: so chiefly in this great work of Justification; The Lord is righteous in all his works, and holy in all his wayes, Ps. 145.17.

[Page 30]1. That his Justice might be fully Glorifi­ed: God sent and set forth his own Son to be a propitiation for our sins, and hath punish­ed them in his humane Nature; I say (saith the Apostle) to declare his righteousness, Rom. 3.25, 26. that he might be just, and the justifier of him that bélieveth in Jesus. 2. That his grace & mercy also might eminently be magnified; he hath sent his on­ly begotten Son into the World, that we might be justified freely by his Grace, through the redemption that is in Christ,Deus Pater nos justifi­cat, ut judex qui­dem, sed sedens in Throno Gratiae, &c. Synops. Rom. 3.25. and that we should be to the praise of the glory of his Grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the Beloved, Ephes. 1, 6. Wherefore, not unto us, not unto us, not to any works of righ­teousness that we have done, but to the Father of Mercies, the Lord God omnipotent, and to the Lamb that sits upon the Throne, be all Honour, and Glory, Blessing and praise for evermore, Revel. 5.13. 2 Tim. 1.9.

2. The subordinate end is our Salvation, Rom. 8.30. whom he hath justified, them also he Glorified, Tit. 3.7. That being justified by his Grace, we should be made heirs of eternal life Though our salvation be our particular pro­per,Our [...]. supream end, or chief good, to which both justification, and sanctification are referred; yet it is subordinate to Gods Glory, as to the Soveraign and universal End: for such is the infinite goodness of God to believing sinners, that he hath subordinated their salvation to his own Glory.

The precious properties of this Righteous­ness; how it is a divine righteousness, a temp­tation [Page 31] vanquishing, and a World-overcoming righteousness, a Law fulfilling, and a justice satisfying righteousness, a most perfect righte­ousness, a Glorious Robe of righteousness, an everlasting righteousness, &c. Ye have heard at large discussed from another Text, therefore I shall forbear to enlarge herein.

Lastly, What are the blessed fruits and conse­quences of Justification?

I answer, 1. Sanctification inherent, with good works apparent, which non praecedunt ju­stificandum, sed sequuntur justificatum, as Austin speaks; they do not go before, but follow after a state of justification.

2. Peace with God; that is an holy Tran­quility, and sweet serenity of conscience, Rom. 5.1.

3. A free Access to God, Rom. 5.2.

4. Certain hope of Glory, Rom. 5.2, 5.

5. Consolation, yea Gloriation in, and over afflictions, Rom. 5.3.

6. The shedding abroad the love of God in­to the hearts of the justified, Rom. 5.5.

7. Conservation from wrath to come, Ro. 5.9.

8. Glorification and eternal life, Rom. 8.30. Rom. 5.21. that as sin hath reigned unto death, e­ven so might Grace reign through righteousness un­to eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord.

A word or two at parting to the Justified, by way of Application.

• 1. Walk up to your Duty.
• 2. Live up to your Comfort.

1. Walk up to your Duty: Ye that are the redeemed of the Lord, the children of God by [Page] faith in Christ Jesus, walk worthy of him who hath called you to his Kingdom and Glory; As ye have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him, Col. 2.6. Receive not this Grace of God in vain: this is a certain evidence of your freedome from Condemnation, if ye walk not af­ter the flesh, but after the spirit, Rom. 8.1. and herein is your father glorified, if ye bring forth much fruit, John 15.6. As your Receipts are great, so give me leave to tell you, your duty is, and your Accompt will be great also: so live, so act, so work, that ye may give up your accompt with joy.

2. Live up to the Comfort of your state; ye are already the sons of God, and it doth not yet ap­pear, what ye shall be, 1 Joh. 3.1. who shall lay any thing to your charge? (whether men or Devils) 'tis God that justifieth, it is Christ that died, &c. Ro. 8.33. Behold thy Treasures, thy Comforts, thy Joys, thy Portion, thy Priviledges, laid up for thee in that precious Cabinet, Rom. 5.1, 2, 3, 4, 5. Wherefore feed, nay feast thy Soul by faith upon them: wherefore, in the worst of times; the righteous shall be glad in the Lord, and all the upright in heart shall glory, Psalm 64.10.

Thus, so far as one Exercise would permit, I have endeavoured to give some satisfaction in the great Argument of Justification. Consi­der what I have said, and the Lord give ye un­derstanding; 2 Tim. 2.7. [...].