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to justify, is both to make just by inherent holiness, and to deelare that thing or person just which really is so. As, wisdom is declared just of her children, God is declared just when he speaketh, who justifieth his elect, acquitteth and declareth them just to whom there is no condemnation. Rom. viii. 1, 2, 3, 4, and verse 33. But on the other hand, as concurring with the definition before, he that justifieth the wicked ;" that is, he that declareth the wicked just, and so the unrighteous righteous, the impure pure, absolveth or acquitteth the wicked or wicked workers, while such," and he that condemns the just, are both abomination to the Lord!" And then the next thing to be inquired is, whom doth S. S. declare just; and in what state are the persons, whom he justifies, declares just, absolved, acquitted, or pardoned, as his terms are?

S. S. This acquittance to us fallen creatures, is a proper absolution or pardon. We are guilty in our own persons. p. 91. Now Moses, or the law of God, is the true accuser of every one of us. John v. 45. There is one that accuseth you, even Moses in whom ye trust.' The only defence is, though I am guilty, yet satisfaction hath been made for that guilt. p. 90. Yet God pronounceth us just, and absolves us, for the satisfaction or righteousnes of Christ." p. 91.

Reply. Without faith it is impossible to please God; and without holiness none shall see him to their justification or comfort. Our pardon and absolution from sins past, must be received in our rising out of sin and the fall, and by the power of God renewing us into the image of God, through a living faith in Christ, repentance, or a real change of the mind and heart from evil, and so by a true separation of the creature from enmity and wicked works, wherein men are enemies in their minds. For, while you stand as "fallen creatures," guilty in your own persons," enemies in your minds by wicked works, and in the state of those unbelieving Jews whom Moses accused, as before confessed, God doth neither pronounce you just, absolve, nor pardon you in that condition. And while you so pronounce or declare yourselves just and acquitted, you are but justifying the wicked, wherein you are an abomination to the Lord, as is proved before.

It is true, he that confesses and forsakes sin finds mercy, upon true repentance and conversion. The creature obtains remission of sins past, and that through faith in the name and blood of Christ, which hath a secret influence upon the soul, and sprinkleth the conscience from dead works, in order both to pardon and justification, upon the act of living and true faith in Christ. Yea, Christ as the one offering, sacrifice, and propitiation for the sins of the whole world, which puts away sin, consecrates, makes true believers holy, and declares God's com

ing near to man in kindness; I say, Christ, thus considered, hath an inward influence and effect upon the believing and penitent soul, to bring it near to God, and render it capable of receiving mercy and forgiveness, and of feeling the pardon and peace, upon true conversion from sin and evil. Yea, I further testify, that God looks upon and hath a regard to every appearance and effect of his grace and spirit in the soul, even from the very first act of faith, springing up and budding of grace, to the highest growth thereof; even, from David's repentance, to his songs of deliverance; from Niniveh's believing God and repenting, to his people's walking in newness of life; from the prodigal's return to his Father's house, to his abiding therein. Yea, to the first appearance of true tenderness, and brokennes of heart, or godly sorrow for sin, the Lord hath regard: "To this man will I look, saith the Lord, that is poor and of a contrite spirit, and trembleth at my word." The work of Christ, or of grace in the heart, from the beginning to the accomplishment thereof, is acceptable to God, because of the dignity of him that worketh it, and not from any dignity or worth of the creature's own; but only the creature is accepted, as in Christ, we are accepted in the beloved, and it is for Christ's sake that God forgiveth us, and not merely for our own. Howbeit, it is so far as we are related to Christ, and have an interest in him and his righteousness, by a living faith, that God owns and looks upon us in a way of acceptance. He respects his own image in us, and doth not justify, acquit, or accept men only upon the account of Christ's sufferings and acts of obedience, as done in his person for if he did, then were all men justified for whom Christ died, and that was for the whole world, all men in general; "he tasted death for every man." Yet his obedience and sufferings in the flesh had a good end and effect, he being through all both acceptable and prevailing with God, for the good of mankind. And we must needs partake of the benefit and effects thereof in our souls, so far as they have an influence upon us, by the life and power of Christ; considering "the travail of his soul," through all his sufferings, which were inward as well as outward, his soul being made an offering for sin." And his making "intercession for the transgressors," was, that men might be influenced with a real sense and sorrow under their own sin, and be made sensible of Christ's sufferings and travail of soul, and know the fellowship thereof, and be made so conformable to his death, through the operation of his spirit and life in them, as to be raised up in the likeness of Christ's resurrection, in dominion and triumph over sin and death; and not plead Christ's satisfaction and righteousness, only as in himself, in their stead, to absolve or justify the guilty, whom God will not clear, nor will he acquit the wicked.

Christ's righteousness will not excuse any in unrighteousness; for he was a holy example as well as a sacrifice and propitiation. And he that saith, he hath an interest in Christ's righteousness, or that he abideth in Christ, "ought to walk as he walked."

Now the question is not, whether Christ was a most satisfactory sacrifice, or well-pleasing to the Father? for that is undeniable. He was the delight of the Father's soul, “who gave himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God, for a sweet smelling savour." Ephes. v. 1, 2. But, in what state and condition are we acquitted, pardoned, and justified of God, and in what nature; whether, as fallen, sinful, guilty persons in ourselves, merely by the sufferings of Christ in his own person, (which were finite,) without respect to his work in us? Or, as converted, believers, sanctified, obedient, new creatures in Christ, accepted (and so justified) in his own righteousness, as real partakers thereof? The latter is the justification and imputation which I plead for, and not the former. I would not have men flatter themselves, nor one another, in sin and darkness, with Christ having done all, paid all, satisfied God for all sins past, present, and to come, and that in their stead; nor to think themselves thereby absolved, acquitted, and justified in their sins and fallen estate. Such doctrine hath strengthened the hands of many evil-doers, and made many hypocrites, who are yet to undergo a sense of the judgments and terrors of the Lord, and to know "repentance from dead works," before they receive forgiveness of sins past," or Jesus Christ as the atonement or their peace. For he came in the likeness of sinful flesh, that he might "condemn sin in the flesh," before man be justified from it.

If the question be, what is it that gives us interest in Christ's righteousness, or upon which it is imputed or reckoned to us? he answers-“Our faith." Rom. x. 10.

If the question be, what will evidence our faith to be living and sound faith? he answers-" Our sincere obedience to the law." Jam. ii. 24. You see then, how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only. "We are justified by works, as evidencing our faith, living by faith, as giving interest in Christ's righteousness-by Christ's righteousness, as constituting us righteous," &c. p. 91.

The reader may see, I take the better part of his confession, as well as the worse. He hath truly confessed here, 1. That it is our living and sound faith that gives us interest in Christ's righteousness, and upon which it is imputed or reckoned to us. 2. That our sincere obedience to the law, (or works of faith,) doth evidence our faith to be living and sound. Whence it follows, that none are justified, but those who are in a living and

sound faith in Christ, and sincere obedience to his law. Therefore justification was not effected or completed without us by Christ's sufferings, or death. in his person; for he died for our sins, but rose again for our justification," which is effected in bringing forth in us the answer of a good conscience." Nor art thou either justified or pronounced righteous in the sight of God, (whoever thou art,) who art a guilty person, a fallen creature, accused by Moses, unsanctified, unregenerate, impure. See how manifestly the man hath contradicted himself in these passages, one while justifying the guilty, or disobedient; another while, only those who have a "living and sound faith," and are "sincerely obedient," who thereby are interested in Christ's righteousness. With this I agree, but not with the other which declares the guilty and disobedient, just or innocent," p. 91. And what then? Must the guilt be charged upon Christ," who offered up himself, a Lamb without spot to God," and was "a sweet smelling savour to him," of whom all our obedience ought to savour, that by him we may "offer up living sacrifices unto God?" Both we and our actions must savour of his unction, and not of pollution, sin, or guilt, if we be justified or accepted in the beloved.

He accuses G. W. with teaching justification "by faith in Christ, and the works that follow faith, without Christ's righteousness imputed." p. 91.

The end of this charge is false, the words "without Christ's righteousness imputed," are a forgery; they are his own words, and not mine. I have both owned and confessed the real and scriptural sense of imputation, in the 65th page of "The Divinity of Christ," part first, and several other places: "The blessed man's partaking of Christ's righteousness through faith; and that justification is in the righteousness of Christ, by faith in him; and that this true and living faith, and the righteousness of it, are reckoned, or imputed to the true believer; yet we do not grant, that sinners or polluted persons, in that state, are clothed with this righteousness, or that it is imputed to them, as theirs, whilst they are out of it." These were my words, which clear me from his charge; although he adds thereto, that I say, "faith in Christ, and works that follow, without any mention of Christ's holy life and sufferings," p. 92, which is false again, and the contrary may be often seen in my said book, Divinity of Christ. For, 1. Living faith in Christ cannot be without the participation of Christ's holy life, virtue and effects of his sufferings and blood, which sprinkleth the conscience, cleanseth from sin, &c. 2. We are by faith in him spiritually influenced with a sense of his sufferings, travail of soul, and fruit of his intercession therein. "I bear in my body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus may be manifest in my mortal flesh." 3. In spir

itually eating of his flesh, and drinking of his blood, we receive of his life in us, come to live to God in his love and favour; and so we partake of Christ as the one offering, sacrifice, or propitiation, that makes holy, in whom God comes near to us in mercy, and we to him in a holy life. And this is the "one offering," by which he hath forever perfected them that are sanctified, whereof the Holy Ghost beareth witness unto us." Heb. x. 15.

Obj. "You have not from the beginning of your life to the end, perfectly obeyed the law; what have you to say why you should not bear the curse?" p. 92.

Answer. This is an impertinent objection, and unsuitable for him that does not believe perfect obedience to Christ attainable in any part of our life, either beginning or latter end. But God will not bring his charge against them, whose sins are forgiven and blotted out, to be remembered no more in the new covenant, who since they have received remission and justification of life, have the answer and testimony of a good conscience to plead, which gives boldness in the day of judgment. The heart "being sprinkled from an evil conscience," there is a drawing "near to God in full assurance of faith." "If our heart condemn us not, then have we confidence towards God." Howbeit, upon the charge before, as S. S.'s chief objection, depends much of his work, and what he pleads to this, as his only defence, is, Christ's holy life and sufferings, obedience to death, &c. not sanctification, nor Christ's righteousness or life inherent in us, or the answer of a good conscience, &c. And why so? Does he think this cannot acquit us, or render us acceptable to God?

S. S. In justifying, God doth judge us by the law, though by the gospel also. To be righteous, in a legal sense, is to be invested with a sinless righteousness from the beginning of life to the end thereof. This the law requires, it requires perfection, not only in the end of our lives, but in the middle also, and in the beginning, p. 92, 93. But the breach of this, (says he,) will be the accusation or charge that the law, or justice, will bring against us at the day of judgment." p. 90.

Reply. The man runs upon a mistake, and thereupon makes his apologies and defence. For there will be no occasion for God to bring this charge against his elect, (or those whom he hath justified,) at the day of judgment. For, 1. Against a righteous man there is no law; neither doth the gospel judge such as transgressors all their days, as is vainly imagined. And how should you be justified, while you are judged both by law and gospel? Doth not the gospel acquit and clear such as in the flesh receive it, from the condemnation of the law, that being justified by faith they may have peace with God? 2. They who are pardoned of sins past, and justified by Christ from all those things, from which they could not be justified by