If it be urged, that Eternity was in the Threatening, [Thou shalt die, i. e. Eternal Death,] and therefore is of the Essence of the Punishment due. I am not greatly solicitous hereabout. For if it be so, it is therefore so, because of the Weakness of Finite Creatures, whose undergoing Temporal Death could not satisfy for sin: But this is fully answered in Christ, whose Temporal sufferings are therefore satisfactory, because he was the Son of God. The whole World. were under the Curse: For it is written, Cursed is every one, &c. Gal. iii. 10. 13. But Christ hath redeemed us from the Curse of the Law, being made a Curse for us. He was made the same Curse, which we were under, and are redeemed from. He wrought with his Hands, Mark vi. 3. wore a Crown of Thorns; was hanged on a Tree; all the Fruits of the Curse, and visible Tokens of his bearing it, Gen. iii. 18, 19. Deut. xxi. 23. The sum is, Christ was under the same Law that we are under, and died under the very Curse thereof (and not only under the Law of Mediation, exclusive of the Law we had broken) he sustained the very Wrath of God, which was our due, Mat. xxvi. 37-44. c. xxvii. 46. Luke xxii. 44. Thus much I shall (thro' the Grace of God), and no more (in this Matter) am I concerned to contend for. It is therefore truly said Christ died our Death, gave his § Soul for our Souls, his Bo'dy for our Bodies.' 'So great † (saith ano § Clementis Rom. Epist. ad Corinth. § 49. 'ther Author) is the Severity of Divine Jus'tice, as there can be no Reconciliation, unless 'Justice be satisfied by suffering of the whole 'Punishment that was due-And so great is 'the Loving-kindness of the Son towards us, 'that he grudged not for our sakes, to bring 'upon himself this infinite Load of Wrath, 'which our Frailty had never been able to 'sustain.' He also excellently discourseth, that Christ, with all his Works and Benefits, is wholly ours; that all he did was done entirely for our sake, &c. Another later || Author, and a very great Man, I find speaking thus: The Satisfaction of Christ doth admi'rably accord with the Majesty of the Divine 'Government, when the Design was to receive the most heinous Offenders into the greatest 'Nearness, and Familiarity with God. A Re'gression became not the Majesty of Heaven; 'God's original Constitution that connected 'Sin and the Curse, was just. He abides by 'it, reverseth it not: To have reversed it was 'not to have judged the Offenders, but himself.' I conceive, a like Argument may be urged touching Christ's Active Obedience. God's original Constitution, that connected the Precept, and promised Reward, was just: He abides by it, reverses it not: To have reversed it were to judge himself, to gratify the Sinner +. || Mr. Howe, second Part of his Living Temple. 1Of Christ's suffering the Idem, see Dr. Owen on the Heb. Vol. 2. Exercit. V, p. 80. And his Treatise of the Death of Christ, 4to. 1650. CHAP. V. Proving, That the Righteousness fulfilled by Jesus Christ, in his own Person, in Obedience and Suffering, is that justifying Righ teousness, which is equally imputed to all Believers. TH HERE are Three Points that I would speak unto here, in so many Propositions. I. That this very Righteousness of Christ, whereof we have been treating, is a Believer's justifying Righteousness before God. II. That this Righteousness is imputed to all Believers, it is unto, and upon them. III. It is upon them without Difference; so that there are no Degrees of Justification. I. That this very Righteousness of Christ (ipsissima Christi Justitia) usually called his Active and Passive Obedience, is a Believer's justifying Righteousness before God. I have already proved, that the Law must be perfectly obeyed; that Jesus Christ did so obey it, and that as a Surety in the stead of those for whom he undertook: Hence it follows by irresistible Consequence, that this Righteousness is made over to those he died for, unto Justification unless he can lose the End of his whole Obedience, and die in vain. But I must further confirm this Truth. It is disputed, whether the Righteousness of Christ be only the meritorious cause of our Justification, or whether also it be the Matter of it? That is to speak plain, Whether Christ has merited, that our own Obedience shouldjustify us; or whether his very Obedience is made over to Believers, to be their Righteousness, in which they stand before God? This is the Point; and it is of no small Consequence, both as to the Glory of Christ, and the Souls of Men. I heartily subscribe to this Truth, that Christ's Righteousness is the meritorious Cause of our Justification. But this is not enough. The Council of Trent (Sess. 9. Cap. 16 Can. 10.) has decreed, 'If any Man shall say, that Men are justified without the Righteousness of Christ, by which he hath 'merited it for us, let him be Accursed: And 'also if a Man shall say, we are formally right'eous by that very Righteousness.' Thus a Popish Council has owned the one, and denied the other. But we say Christ's Righteousness is that which justifies, THAT which commends to God, as a Believer's own Righteousness. If this be denied, it leaves room for Man's Righteousness and Works to come in, as much as a Papist, or Arminian, need to desire. Still our Justification may be, nay, must be, by an inherent Righteousness, by Gospel Works (as they call them); which are of late asserted not to be derogatory to Grace, although they be respected as a justifying Righteousness. Christ merited, that we might merit (say the Bapists). Christ merited, that our Gospel Righteousness might justify us (say others). And surely this is the highest Effect that can be ascribed to it, to justify us K before God: And it is to make Righteousness subordinate to ours. They call ours indeed the subordinate. And why so? Doth not the material, being an internal Cause, come as near, nay nearer the Effect, than an external meritorious Cause? So that this is yoking Christ and Moses together, halting between Grace and Works, another's Righteousness, and our own. It is Christ's Righteousness itself therefore [In that alone let me stand, O Lord, at thy Judgment-seat, before thy dreadful Tribunal!]: And hence it is called, the Righteousness of God, Rom. i. 17. which being a general Text, I may (according to Mr. Clark's Rule) explain by one more particular; viz. 2. Peti. 1. The Righteousness of God, and our Saviour Jesus Christ. This Text explains all those New Testament Texts that speak of the Righteousness of God; it is Christ's Righteousness, who is God and our Saviour. And why the Righteousness of God? Rom. i. 17. Because the Righteousness of Men is insufficient. And why a Righteousness revealed, but because it was another's? For our own is known by Nature, and is never said to be revealed. But this heavenly Righteousness is altogether above Sense and Reason; and therefore, if it is not revealed, Men are always disputing against it. And why revealed to Faith, from one Degree of it to another? Even because Faith itself, credere, or any Work whatsoever, is not that which justifies; nor can any thing else take it in, and close with it. In the Judgment of Dr. Owen, on Justific. c, 1. p. 332. |