Chap. 11. object of Abraham's Faith, the next thing is, how Faith is imputed for Righteoufnefs. Here l anfwer, Faith is counted for Righteousness, not as taken in abstracto, meerly in it felf, but as taken in concreto, in its conjunction with its object: that is,Chrift and his Righteousness, and then we have the full Righteoufnels of Juftification, Faith in it self answering to the Gofpel-terms, and in its object Chrift's Righteousness answering to the Law. Here I crave leave to fet down the words of an Excellent Person, though different from my felf in this point; the words are Sir Charles these: "Faith looks both ways, refpects both the Wolf. Juftif. «Law and the Gospel, and comprizeth all that is reEvang. 42. « quifite to our Juftification with reference to both;

"all the charge of the Law it anfwers ratione objecti, "in refpect of its object, which is Chrift, and all that "is required by the Gospel, ratione fui, as being "it felf the performance of the condition annex"ed thereunto. Thus he; I quote not these words, as if in this point he were of my opinion, but because they are full and expreffive of my thoughts: Now, that Faith is in this place to be taken in conjunction with its object, appears thus; the Apostle in the third Chapter proves, That as to the Law every Mouth must be stopped, that all the world must become guilty before God, verfe 19, and then concludes, that by the deeds of the Law, no Flesh can be justified, verse 20. And in his After-difcourfe (as the following words (but now) do import) he fheweth what it is that justifieth us against the Law, viz. The Righteoufnefs of God; that is of Chrift, which is not Faith it felf, but by Faith, Verf. 21, & 22. And at last he concludes, That we are justified by Faith, Verf. 28. but Faith in it felf cannot justifie

us

us against the Law; for Faith was not crucified for Chap. 11. us, neither did it satisfie Justice on our behalf: it is therefore Faith in its object, that is Chrift's Righteousness which juftifies us against the Law; that Faith which is counted for Righteousness, is that which establishes the Law, Verf. 31. and that Establishment Faith makes, not in it felf, but in its object, Chrift's Righteoufnefs, which established the Law by fatisfying of it; Faith therefore and its object must be taken together: Hence the Apostle, who mentions the Imputation of Faith. Ver. 5. in the 4. Chapter, mentions also the Imputation of Righteousness, Ver. 6. It's true, both are but one in fence, but in words the latter expresses the object of Faith, as the former doth the Act: Thus, as I faid before, Faith in Conjunction with its object takes in the whole of Justification, and then the after-words, quoted out of the Pfalm, touching Remiffion, do not defcribe the Imputation of Righteousness in its proper Nature, but in its blessed Fruit, viz. Pardon of fin, which is not properly our Righteoufnefs, but a confequent upon it. Another place is this; ----Through this Man is preached unto the Forgiveness of fin; and by him all that believe are juftified from all things, from which you could not be juftified by the Law of Mofes, Acts 13. 38, & Here it seems, that what is called Remiffion in the first verse, is called Justification in the next: but I take it, they are not the fame in the 38.Ver. We have Remiffion in the offer or tender of the Gofpel, in the 39. we have Juftification actual as it is in the Believer. So they are not the fame; Juftification here is not Remiffion, but Juftification by Sacrifice; Juftification by Christ's Sacrifice is oppofed to Juftification by the Legal ones: Juftification by these was typical,

you

Zz

39.

and

Chap. 11. and but in fome cafes, the Law not allowing a Sacrifice in all, but Justification by that is real, and in all cafes where Faith is not wanting; here therefore Juftification and Remiflion are not the fame. Another place is Luke 18. when the Publican penitentially prayed for Pardon, God be merciful to me a Sinner, he went home juftified, Verf. 13, & 14. Juftified is the fame with Pardoned. I anfwer, This place fhews that Juftification follows upon true Repentance, but not that Juftification and Pardon are the fame; the Satisfaction of Christ justifies a Sinner, a Pardon only frees him from punishment. To name but one place more; The Free-gift is of many offences to juftification, Rom, 5. 16. Tea, the Free-gift, feems here to import Pardon, as if Pardon and Juftification were all one. To this I answer; The Apoftle in this famous place fets down a Parallel between the two Heads, Adam and Chrift; Adam's Sin and Chrift's Righteousness; Adam's Sin making us Sinners unto death, and Chrift's Righteousness making us righteous unto Life. But the word (Pardon or Remiflion) is not so much as once named in all the Parallel; by the Free-gift Verf. 16. is not meant Remission, butChrist's Righteoufnefs. This is clear upon a double account: the one is this; The Free-gift is opposed to Adam's fin, and that which in this Parallel is oppofed to Adam's fin,muft needs be Chrift's Righteousness; this appears throughout the whole Parallel, in the 15, & 16. Verf. Adam's Sin and the Free-gift are oppofed;. in the 18. Verf. Adam's Offence and Chrift's Righteoufnefs are oppofed; in the 19. Verf. Adam's Difobedience and Chrift's Obedience are opposed: Hence it appears, that what is the Free-gift in the 15, and 16. Verf. is the Righteousness or Obedience of Christ

in the 18. 19. Verf. neither indeed can the Parallel Chap. 11. itand, if any other thing than Chrift's Righteoufnefs fhould be opposed to Adam's fin. The other is this; these words, The Free-gift, are put instead of Chrift's Righteoufnefs or Obedience; this appears in that, where the one is mentioned, the other is omitted, in the 15, 16, 17. Verf. The Free-gift is mentioned, but the Righteoufnefs or Obedience of Chrift is omitted; in the 18, and 19. Verf. the Righteousness and Obedience of Chrift is mentioned, but the Freegift is omitted. Indeed in our Translation we have the Free-gift Verf.18. but not in the Original. Hence it appears that they are the fame; I fuppose that in the 18. Verf fhould be otherwise supplied: Thus it appears that the Free-gift is not Pardon. Having feen the most material Texts; I fhall obferve one thing more: Juftification is fet forth in fuch a way in Scripture, that it must needs be distinct from Pardon: It is set forth fo, that the Law is established by it, Rom. 3.31. but the Law is not established by a Pardon, but by a Satisfaction. You will fay, Our Pardon is upon a Satisfaction; but if that Satisfaction do not juftifie us, if it be no Ingredient in our Juftification; then in our Justification the Law is not established as the Apostle fpeaks; Juftification is fet forth so, that the Righteousness of the Law is fulfilled in us, Rom. 8.4. But the Righteoufnefs of the Law is not fulfilled in a Pardon; neither is it fulfilled in our imperfect, though fincere Obedience: The Greek word δικαίωμα, is, as Ariftotle faith, επανόρθωμα τῇ ἀδικήματα, Eib. I. 5 Correctio injuriæ, Satisfaction for the injured Law, cap. 7. but nothing is fuch but Christ's Righteousness. The Apostle in the precedent Verfe faith, That fin was condemned in the Flesh of Chrift; and of this, there

5.

Chap. 11.

is a double Fruit; first Juftification: The Righteoufness of the Law is fulfilled in us; that is, Chrift's Satisfaction becomes imputatively ours, and then Sanctification; we walk not after the Flesh,but after the Spirit: This Interpretation harmonizes with the first Verfe; there first we have Juftification, There is no Condemnation to them who are in Chrift; and then Sanctification, We walk not after the Flesh, but after the Spirit; as therefore Chrift's Righteousness is the only thing which fatisfies the Law,fo it is the only juftifying matter against it: Juftification is fo fet forth, that the Law hath its end: Thus the Apostle, Chrift is the end of the Law for Righteousness to the Believer, Rom. 10. 4. as he is the end of the Law, so he is for Righteousness; he is not the end of the Law in a procured pardon, but in a Satisfaction made and applied; Juftification therefore confifts not in a Pardon, but in a Satisfaction applied and made ours by Imputation. Thus far out of Scripture.

Secondly, Juftification cannot be without a Righteousness; that God (who judgeth according to truth, who is Juft, and a Juftifyer) doth not esteem or pronounce us righteous unless we are fo; a pardon is not our Righteoufnefs; for that is God's Act, and God's Act, though it may make or esteem us righteous, is not it felf our Righteoufnefs, neither is that, which a pardon gives, viz. an immunity from punifhment; fuch an immunity from punishment, which is, ex merâ indulgentiâ, as in the cafe of a pardoned Malefactor, is not fuch; the Malefactor in that case is treated in point of punishment as a righteous Man, but he is not fuch indeed, his plea is only a pardon, he is free only à pænâ, not à culpâ, the Judge doth not esteem him as righteous, but as one