Christ Set Forth, Section 3
SECT. III.
FAITH ſupported by Chriſts RESURRECTION.
ROM. 8. 34.
—Yea rather, that is riſen againe.
CHAP. I.
Chriſts Reſurrection ſupporteth faith two wayes: 1. By being an evidence of 2. By having an influence into our Iuſtification. The neceſsity of Chriſts Reſurrection, for the procuring our Iuſtification.
THe next thing to be lookt at in Chriſt, as he is the object of juſtifying faith, (and from whence our faith may ſeek and fetch ſupport and comfort in the matter of Juſtification) is Chriſts Reſurrection; upon which we ſee here, the Apoſtle putteth a [rather] Yea rather that is riſen againe. Some ſpeciall thing in Chriſts Reſurrection for our Juſtification.There muſt therefore be ſome ſpeciall thing in the Reſurrection of Chriſt, which it contributes to our faith and juſtification, for which it ſhould have a [rather] put upon it, and that comparatively to his death. Now to ſhew wherein this ſhould lie, conſider how the Reſurrection of Chriſt ſerveth to a double uſe and end, in the matter of Juſtification.
Firſt,It ſerveth to a double uſe to ſupport our faith. as an evidence to our faith, that God is fully ſatisfied by Chriſts death: his Reſurrection may give us full aſſurance of it.
Secondly, it had, and hath an influence into our Juſtification it ſelfe; yea and as great an influence as his Death had. In both theſe reſpects it deſerves a [rather] to be put upon it, and Paul had them both in his eye, when he writ theſe words. So as firſt, if you ask an account of his faith, and a reaſon of his ſo triumphant aſſurance, hee alledgeth his Reſurrection to confirme it, Chriſt is riſen. Or
Secondly, if you would have a reaſon of the thing, how it comes to paſſe, that we who are Beleevers cannot be condemned; Chriſt is riſen, ſayes he: He alledgeth it as a cauſe, that hath ſuch an influence into Juſtification it ſelfe, as it makes all ſure about it.
1.1. By way of Evidence. By way of Evidence: Although Chriſts obedience in his life, and his death paſt, do alone afford the whole matter of our Juſtification, and make up the ſumme of that price paid for us, (as hath been ſhewn) ſo as faith may ſee a fulneſſe of worth and merit therein, to diſcharge the debt: yet faith hath a comfortable ſigne and evidence to confirme it ſelfe in the beliefe of this, from Chriſts Reſurrection after his death: It may fully ſatisfie our faith,Faith hath a viſible ſigne of it, that God is ſatisfied. that God himſelfe is ſatisfied, and that he reckons the debt as paid: So that our faith may boldly come to God, and call for the Bond in, as having Chriſts Reſurrection to ſhew for it, that the Debt is diſcharged. And hence the Apoſtle cryes Victoria over Sin, Hell, and Death, upon occaſion of (and as the Coronis and concluſion of that) his large Diſcourſe about Chriſts Reſurrection, 1 Cor. 15. 55, 56, 57. O death, where is thy ſting? that is, Sinne, and the power of it: for ſo it followes, The ſting of death is ſinne: and O grave, where is thy victory? Thanks be to God who hath given us victory, through Ieſus Chriſt our Lord: namely, as riſen againe; for of his Reſurrection, and of that chiefly, had he ſpoken throughout that Chapter.
2.2. By way of Influence. But ſurely this is not all, that it ſhould onelyonly argue our Juſtification by way of Evidence: This alone would not have deſerved ſuch a [rather] to be put upon it, if Chriſts Reſurrection had not had ſome farther reall cauſall influence into Juſtification it ſelfe, and been more then ſimply an evidence of it to our apprehenſions. Therefore ſecondly, in Juſtification, although the materiale, or matter of it, be wholly the obedience and death of Chriſt;Though the matter of our Juſtification be the price of Chriſts death, yet the act of pronouncing us righteous, depends on the Reſurrection. yet the act of pronouncing us righteous by that his obedience, (which is the formale of Juſtification) doth depend upon Chriſts Reſurrection. Ordinarily there hath been no more expreſſed concerning this dependance, then that the Reſurrection of Chriſt juſtifies by working actuall faith, to lay hold upon what Chriſt hath done in his life and death, which is called the applying of it, (of which more anon.) But that ſpeech of Paul, 1 Cor. 15. 17. ſeems to import more, If Chriſt be not riſen again, [ye are yet in your ſins, [and your faith is in vaine:] That is, although you could ſuppoſe faith to be wrought in you upon the merit of Chriſts dying, yet it would be in vain, if Chriſt were not riſen again; for your title to Juſtification it ſelf would be void: You were yet in your ſins. Which is ſaid, becauſe his Reſurrection was it, wherby ſins (though ſatisfied for in his death) were taken off, and they acquited from them: Which I take to be the meaning alſo of that Rom. 4. ult. He was delivered for our ſins, [and roſe again for our Iuſtification.] When the Apoſtle ſayes, for our ſins he was delivered, he means, his laying down that which was the price for them, a ſatisfaction for them, which his death was: And in that ſenſe, He dyed for our ſins; that is, his death ſtands in ſtead of our death, and ſo ſatisfies for ſin. But yet ſtill that upon which the act of Gods juſtifying us, & his diſcharge given us from our ſins, and whereby he reckoneth us juſtified, that depends upon his Reſurrection. He roſe again for our juſtification. Note that Juſtification there imports the act of imputation, and reckoning us juſt, which he had ſpoken of in the verſes immediately fore-going, ver. 22, 23, 24.
In a word, to the full diſcharge of a Debt, and freeing the Debtour, two things are requiſite: 1. The payment of the debt: 2. The tearing or cancelling the Bond, or receiving an Acquitance for the freeing of the Debtor. Now the Payment was wrought by Chriſts death, and the Acquitance to free from the debt, was at, and by his Reſurrection.
CHAP. II.
For the explanation of both theſe is ſhewne, how Chriſt ſuſtained a double relation; Firſt, of a Surety for us; Secondly, of a Common perſon in our ſtead: The difference of theſe two, and the uſefulneſſe of theſe two conſiderations, for the explaining all the reſt that follows, in this whole Diſcourſe.
NOw the better to explicate both theſe, you muſt conſider, how that Chriſt in almoſt all that he did [for us] (as the phraſe is here, and is to be annexed to each particular) did ſtand in a double relation for us unto God.
1. Of a Surety, bound to pay the debt for us, and to ſave our ſoules.
2. Of a Common perſon, or as an Attorney at Law, in our ſtead. And both theſe as they have a diſtinct and differing conſideration in themſelves, ſo thoſe ſeverall conſiderations of them will conduce to the underſtanding of thoſe two things fore-mentioned, as wayes and arguments to ſhew how the Reſurrection of Chriſt may ſupport our faith, both by way of evidence that the debt is paid, and by way of influence that we are thereby acquited, and cannot be condemned. The notion of his being riſen, who is our Surety, clears the firſt, and that of his riſing as a Common perſon, illuſtrates the other. And I ſhall here a little the largelyer inſiſt upon the explication of theſe two relations, becauſe their conſideration will be of uſe through all the reſt that follows, to illuſtrate thereby the influence that his Aſcenſion, and Sitting at Gods right hand, &c. have into our Juſtification; and ſo I ſhall carry them along throughout this Diſcourſe.
1.1. To be a Surety, what. A Surety is one that undertakes, and is bound to doe a thing for another: As, to pay a debt for him, or to bring him ſafe to ſuch or ſuch a place, or the like; ſo as when he hath diſcharged what he undertook and was bound for, then the party for whom he undertook is diſcharged alſo.
2.2. A Common perſon, what. A Common perſon with, or for another hee goes for, is one who repreſents, perſonates, and acts the part of another, by the allowance and warrant of the Law: ſo as what he doth, (as ſuch a common perſon, and in the name of the other) that other whom he perſonates, is by the Law reckoned to doe: and in like manner, what is done to him, (as being in the others ſtead and roome) is reckoned as done to the other. Thus by our Law, an Attorney appears for another, & money received by him, is reckoned as received by him whom it is due unto. Thus the giving poſſeſſion of an eſtate, a re-entry made, and poſſeſſion taken of land, &c. if done by, and to a man who is his lawfull Attorney, it ſtands as good in Law unto a man, as if in his owne perſon it had been done. So Embaſſadours for Princes repreſent their Maſters: what is done to them, is reckoned as done to the Prince; and what they do according to their Commiſſion, is all one as if the Prince, whoſe Perſon they repreſent, had done it himſelfe. In like manner alſo the marriages of Princes are tranſacted, & ſolemnized by Proxie, as a Common perſon repreſenting his Lord, and in his name, is married to a Princeſſe in her Fathers Court; and the Lawes of men authorize it, and the marriage is as good, as if both Princes themſelves had been preſent, and had performed all the Rites of it.The difference betweene theſe two. And thus to be a Common perſon, is more then ſimply to be a Surety for another; it is a farther thing: and therefore theſe two relations are to be diſtinctly conſidered, though they ſeem to be ſomewhat of a like nature. Thus an Attorney is a different thing from a Surety: A Surety undertakes to pay a debt for another, or the like; but a Cōmon perſon ſerves to perform any common act, which by the Law is reckoned, and virtually imputed to the other, and is to ſtand as the others act, & is as valid, as is he had done it: So as the good and benefit which is the conſequent of ſuch an act, ſhall accrew to him whom he perſonated, and for whom he ſtood as a Common perſon. Adam was not a Surety for all Man-kind,Adam a Common perſon, but not a Surety. he undertook not for them, in the ſenſe fore-mentioned; but he was a Common perſon repreſenting all Man-kind; So as what he ſhould do, was to be accounted as if they had done it. Now the better to expreſſe and make ſure our Juſtification in and by Chriſt, according to all ſorts of Laws, (the equity of all which God uſually draws up into his diſpenſations) God did ordain Chriſt both to be a Surety for us,Chriſt ordained to be both, and the reaſon why. and alſo a Common perſon repreſenting us, and in our ſtead. That as Chriſt tooke all other relations for us, as of an Husband, Head, Father, Brother, King, Prieſt, Captain, &c. that ſo the fulneſſe of his love might be ſet forth to us, in that what is defective in any one of theſe relations, is ſupplyed and expreſſed by the other: Even thus did God ordaine Chriſt to take and ſuſtaine both theſe relations, of a Surety and a Common Perſon, in all he did for us, thereby to make our juſtification by him the more full and legall; and juſtifie (as I may ſo ſpeake) our Juſtification it ſelfe or his juſtifying of us, by all ſorts of legall conſiderations what ever, that hold commonly among men in like caſe: and that which the one of theſe relations or conſiderations might not reach to make good, the other might ſupply; what fel ſhort in the one, the other might make up; and ſo we might be moſt legally and formally juſtified and made ſure never to be condemned.
CHAP. III.
The firſt Head: The EVIDENCE of Iuſtification which Chriſts Reſurrection affords to faith; explained by two things: 1. By ſhewing how Chriſt was made a Surety for us. 2. How his Reſurrection as a Surety holds forth this evidence.
COncerning the firſt of thoſe two Heads at firſt propounded, namely, the Evidence which Chriſts Reſurrection affords unto our faith in point of non-condemnation: I have two things to handle in this Chap. to make this out: Firſt, how Chriſt was made a Surety for us, and what manner a Surety he did become: ſecondly, what the conſideration hereof will contribute to that evidence which faith hath from Chriſts Reſurrection.
For the firſt,§. 1. Chriſt was appointed by God, (and himſelfe alſo undertook) to be our Surety. 1. How Chriſt was made and became a Surety for us.This you have, Heb. 7. 22. He was made Surety of a better Teſtament, or Covenant; namely, of the New. The Hebrew word for Covenant, the Septuagint ſtil tranſlated [foreign] Teſtament: the word in the Hebrew being of a large ſignification, & comprehending both a Covenant, and Teſtament; and ſo in the New Teſtament it is uſed promiſcuouſly for either: And indeed, this new Covenant of Grace is both. Of this Covenant Chriſt is the foreign, the plighter of his troth for it, the Surety, the Promiſer, the Undertaker. The Verb this comes of, is foreign, [promittere] which comes form foreign, [in manibus] ſtriking hands, or giving ones hand, as a ſigne of a covenant; and ſo, to bargaine with, or make up a covenant. Prov. 22. 26. Be not thou one of them that ſtrike hands, or of them that are ſureties for debts: Which whole verſe the Septuagint reads, Give not thy ſelfe foreign, to Suretyſhip. The ſame word that is here uſed by the Apoſtle. It was the manner both of the Jews and Romanes alſo, to make Covenants by ſtriking of hands: And in Teſtaments, the Heire and Executor ſhook hands, or the Executor gave his hand to fulfill it.Suretiſhip not onelyonly uſed in matters of debt, but in criminall cauſes puniſhed with death; and is put for being a pledge for another. And the word [foreign] is uſed, not onelyonly in promiſing to pay a debt for another, but alſo in becomming a pledge for another, for to undergoe death, or a capitall puniſhment in anothers roome: as in that famous ſtory of friends, namely, Euephenus and Eucritus: Eucritus did [foreign] willingly become a ſurety for Euephenus, when condemned to dye by Dionyſius the tyrant. This very word is uſed by Polyenus, the Hiſtorian of that fact. Now ſuch a Surety every way did Chriſt become unto God for us,Chriſt undertook as a Surety for both, to ſatisfie God, & to work all in us alſo. both to pay the debt, by undergoing death in our ſtead, and ſo to ſatisfie God; and then as the Heire to execute his Will and Teſtament: He became a Surety of the whole Covenant, and every condition in it, take it in the largeſt ſenſe; and this of all, both on Gods part, and on ours. For us he undertook to God to work all our works, and undergoe all our puniſhments; to pay our debts for us, and to work in us all that God required ſhould be done by us, in the Covenant of Grace. And thus to be a Surety, is much more then ſimply to be an Interceſſour, or Mediatour, (as Pareus well obſerves.) God did (as it were) ſay to Chriſt, What they owe me, I require it all at your hands; and Chriſt aſſented, and from everlaſting ſtruck hands with God, to doe all for us that God could require, and undertook it under the penalty that lay upon us to have undergone. Yea, Chriſt became ſuch a Surety in this for us, as is not to be found among men.A ſtrange difference between Chriſts Suretiſhip, and that of men for others on earth On earth, Sureties are wont to enter into one and the ſame Bond with the Creditors, ſo as the Creditour may ſeize on which of the two he will, whether on the Debtour, or on the Surety, and ſo (as uſually) on the Debtor firſt, for him we call the Principal; but in this covenant, God would have Chriſts ſingle Bond: and hence Chriſt is not onelyonly called the Surety of the Covenant for us, but The Covenant, God makes the Covenant of Grace principally with Chriſt for us.Eſay 49. 8. and elſewhere. God making the Covenant of Grace primarily with him, and with him as for us, thereby his ſingle Bond alone was taken for all, that ſo God might be ſure of ſatisfaction: therefore he laid all upon Chriſt, proteſting that he would not deale with us, nor ſo much as expect any payment from us, (ſuch was his grace.) So Pſal. 89. 19. where the mercies of the Covenant made betweene Chriſt and God, under the Type of Gods Covenant with David are ſet forth,God requires payment of our debt from Chriſt firſt. Thou ſpakeſt in viſion to thy holy One, and ſaidſt, I have laid help on one who is [mighty.] As if God had ſaid, I know that theſe will faile me, and break, and never be able to ſatisfie me; but you are a mighty and ſubſtantiall perſon, able to pay me, and I will look for my debt of you. And to confirme this, (then which nothing can give ſtronger conſolation, or more advanceth Gods free grace) when God went about the reconciling the world in and by Chriſt, and dealt with Chriſt about it; the manner of it is expreſſed to have been, that God took off our ſins from us, and diſcharged us, (as it were) meaning never to call us to an account for them, unleſſe Chriſt ſhould not ſatisfie him, and laid them all on Chriſt, ſo as he would require an account of them all from him firſt, and let him look to it; and this he did to make the Covenant ſure. Thus 2 Cor. 5. 19. it is ſaid, (the Apoſtle ſpeaking of Gods tranſaction of this buſineſſe with Chriſt) that God was in Chriſt, namely, from everlaſting, reconciling the world (of Elect Beleevers) to himſelfe, not imputing their treſpaſſes to them; and made him ſin who knew no ſinne. Obſerve, that as he laid our ſinnes on Chriſt, ſo withall, he diſcharged us, in his compact betweene Chriſt and himſelfe, [not imputing their treſpaſſes to them.] So then, all laid upon Chriſt, and he was to look to it, or elſe his ſoule was to have gone for it. This is not the manner of other Creditours; they uſe to charge the Debt on both the Surety and the Debtour; but in this Covenant (of Grace namely) Chriſts ſingle Bond is entred, he alone is The Covenant: ſo as God will have nought to ſay to us, till Chriſt failes him. He hath engaged himſelfe firſt to require ſatisfactions at Chriſts hands, who is our Surety.
Now then 2.2. How the conſideration of this is a ſtrong evidence to faith, of juſtification from Chriſts Reſurrection. for to make uſe of this notion, for the clearing of the point in hand. It might afford us matter of unſpeakable cōfort, onelyonly to hear of Chriſts having been arreſted by God for our debt, & caſt into priſon, and his Bond ſued, and an Execution or Iudgement ſerved on him, as the phraſes are, Eſay 53. 8. For thereby we ſhould have ſeen, how God had begun with our Surety, (as minded to let us alone) and that it lay on him to diſcharge the debt, who was ſo able to doe it: And thereby we might alſo ſee, how he was made ſin for us, and therefore we might very well have quieted our hearts from fearing any arreſts, or for Gods comming upon us, till we ſhould heare that our Surety were not ſufficiently able to pay the debt, (as you have heard he is.) But yet our hearts would ſtil be inquiſitive (for all that) to hear whether indeed he hath perfectly ſatisfied God or no; and would be extreamly ſolicitous, to know whether he hath ſatisfactorily performed what he undertook; and how he got cleare of that engagement, and of being made ſinne for us. And therefore the Apoſtle comforts Beleevers with this, that Chriſt ſhall the next time appeare without ſin. *Heb. 9. 28.VntoUnto them that look for him he ſhall appeare the ſecond time without ſinne, It declaring unto faith, that Chriſt that was in this death nale ſin for us, hath now diſcharged all, and is without ſin.unto ſalvation. One would think it no great matter of comfort to us, to hear that Chriſt ſhould appeare without ſinne; for who would imagine that it could be otherwiſe with The holy One, The Lord of Glory? there is no wonder in that: Ay, but (ſayes the Apoſtle) your very ſalvation is intereſted in this; as neerly as is poſſible: It is well for you that Chriſt is now without ſinne; for he having as your Surety undertooke to ſatisfie for ſinne, and having accordingly beene once made ſinne, when on earth, and arreſted for it by God at his death; in that now he is got cleare of that engagement, (which could be no way, but by ſatisfaction, which he undertooke) this doth plainly evince it, and aſcertain you, that you ſhall never be condemned for it: for by the Law, if the Surety hath diſcharged the debt, the Debtour is then free. And therefore no news would or could be more welcome to ſinners,And ſo that God will never come upon the ſinner. then to have a certaine and infallible evidence given, that their Surety were well come off, and had quitted all, to ſatisfaction.
Now then to evidence this, ſerveth his Reſurrection; Chriſt is riſen: How ſtrong an evidence Chriſts Reſurrection is, that the debt is paid, and God ſatiſfied.Nothing ſo ſure. Therefore certainly the debt is diſcharged, and he hath paid it to the full, and ſo is now without our ſinne, and fully got cleare of it. For God having once arreſted Chriſt, and caſt him into priſon, and begun a tryall againſt him, and had him to judgement, he could not come forth, till he had paid the very utmoſt farthing. And there is the greateſt reaſon for it, to aſcertaine us that can be: For he was under thoſe bonds and bolts, which if it had been poſsible would have detained him in the grave, as Act. 2. 24. The ſtrength of ſin, and Gods wrath, and the curſe againſt ſin, (Thou ſhalt die the death) did as cords hold him, (as the Pſalmiſts phraſe is.) Other debtours may poſſibly breake their priſons; but Chriſt could not have broke through this, for the wrath of the All-powerfull God, was this priſon; from which there was no eſcaping, no baile: nothing would be taken to let him goe out, but full ſatisfaction. And therefore to hear that Chriſt is riſen, & ſo is come out of priſon, is an evidence that God is ſatisfied, and that Chriſt is diſcharged by God himſelf; and ſo is now without ſin, he walking abroad again at liberty: And therefore the Apoſtle proclaimes a mighty victory obtained by Chriſts Reſurrection, over Death, the Grave, the ſtrength of ſinne, the Law, 1 Cor. 15. 55, 56. and cryes out, Thanks be to God who giveth us the victory, through Ieſus Chriſt our Lord, ver. 57. You may now reſt ſecure indeede, Chriſt is riſen, who therefore ſhall condemne?
CHAP. IV.
The ſecond Head propounded, the INFLUENCE CHRISTS Reſurrection hath into Iuſtification. Two Branches of the Demonſtration of this. Firſt, that Chriſt was a Common perſon, repreſenting us in all he was, or did, or ſuffered, handled at large. More eſpecially a Common perſon in his Reſurrection.
NOw ſecondly, to come to that other Head propounded, the Influence Chriſts reſurrection hath into our juſtification. The demonſtration or making out of which depends on two things put together: The firſt, how Chriſt was appointed by God, and himſelfe acted the part of a Common perſon, repreſenting us in what he did, & more particularly in his Reſurrection. Of this in this Chapter.
The ſecond is, how from that conſideration ariſeth, not onelyonly an evidence to our faith, but a reall influence into our juſtification, and non-condemnation. So as, Who ſhall condemne? becauſe CHRIST is riſen againe, as a Common perſon, repreſenting us therein.
For the firſt of theſe,§. I. to illuſtrate and prove it in the generall,That Chriſt was a Common perſon, proved. that inſtance of Adam ſerves moſt fitly, and is indeed made uſe of in the Scripture, to that end. Adam, as you all know, was reckoned as a common publique perſon,1. In generall, by a parallel with Adam, not ſtanding ſingly or alone for himſelfe, but as repreſenting all Man-kind to come of him: So as by a juſt Law, what he did was reckoned to his poſterity, whom he repreſented. And what was by that Law threatned, or done to him for what he did, is threatned againſt his poſterity alſo. Now this man was herein a lively type of our Lord Chriſt,the Type of Chriſt herein. as you have it, Rom. 5. 14. [Who was the type of him who was to come.] Unto which purpoſe, the titles which the Apoſtle gives theſe two, Chriſt and Adam, 1 Cor. 15. 47. are exceeding obſervable; he calls Adam, The firſt man; and Chriſt our Lord, The ſecond man: and both for that very purpoſe and reſpect which we have in hand: For, firſt, he ſpeaks of them, as if there had never been any more men in the world, nor were ever to be for time to come, except theſe two: and why? but becauſe theſe two betweene them, had all the reſt of the ſons of men hanging at their girdle; becauſe they were both Common perſons, that had the reſt in like (though oppoſite) conſiderations included, and involved in them. Adam had all the ſons of Men borne into this world, included in himſelf, who are therefore called earthly men, ver. 48. in a conformity to him the earthly man, ver. 47. and Chriſt the ſecond man had all his Elect, (who are the firſt-borne, and whoſe names are written in heaven, and therefore in the ſame ver. are oppoſitely called heavenly men) included in him. You ſee how he ſummes up the number of all men in two, and reckons but two men in all; theſe two, in Gods account, ſtanding for all the reſt. And farther obſerve, that becauſe Adam was in this his being, a common perſon unto his, the ſhadow and the lively Type of Chriſt, who was to come after him; that therefore he is called The firſt man, (of theſe two) and Chriſt The ſecond man, as typified out by him.
Now if you aske,Particularly: In what things Chriſt was a Common perſon. wherein Chriſt was a Common perſon, repreſenting us, and ſtanding in our ſtead; I anſwer, If in anything, then in all thoſe conditions and ſtates wherein he was, in what he did, Eſpecially in what he was, or did upon earthor befell him, whilſt here on earth eſpecially: For he had no other end to come downe into this world, but to ſuſtaine our perſons, and to act our parts, and to have what was to have, been done to us, acted upon him.
Thus firſt,§. 2. in their two ſeverall conditions, qualifications,1. Adam and Chriſt Common perſons, in their conditions, and qualifications, and ſtates. and ſtates, they both were Common perſons: That is, look what ſtate or condition the one or the other was made in, is by a juſt Law to be put upon thoſe whom they repreſented. So the Apoſtle reaſons from it, ver. 48. [As] is the earthly man, (namely, the firſt man, Adam) [ſuch] are the earthly: namely, to be earthly men as well as he; becauſe he who was a Common perſon repreſenting them, was in his condition but an earthly man: And oppoſitely, by the ſame Law, it follows, [As] is the heavenly man, (namely, the ſecond man, Chriſt) [ſuch] are and muſt be the heavenly, who pertaine to him, becauſe he alſo is a Common perſon, ordained to perſonate them: and Adam, who came after him, was therein but his Type.
And as thus in this place to the Corinths the Apoſtle argues Chriſt to be a Common perſon, in reſpect of his condition and ſtate, by an argument of parallels taken from his Type, Adam; So ſecondly, in that 5. to the Romanes, he argues Chriſt to have been a Common perſon,2. Chriſt a Common perſon, in reſpect of what he did, or what he ſuffered, illuſtrated by the parallel of Adam. in his actions which he did on earth; and this alſo from the ſimilitude of Adam, whom ver. 14. he therein makes to have been Chriſts Type. And he ſpeaks of Adam there, as a Common perſon, both in reſpect of what he did, namely, his [Sinne;] and alſo in reſpect of what befell him for his ſin, namely, [Death,] and condemnation. And becauſe he was in all theſe not to be conſidered as a ſingle Man, but as one that was All men, by way of repreſentation: Hence, both what he did, they are ſaid to doe in him; and what condemnation or death was deſerved by his ſin, fell upon them all, by this Law of his being a publique perſon for them.
1. For what he did: He ſinned,1. Adam a Common perſon, in what he did. you know; and ver. 12. All are ſaid to have ſinned, namely, in his ſinne; Yea, and according to thoſe words in the Greek, [foreign] which are added there, you may render that ſentence (and the Originall bears it, and it is alſo varied in the Margent) thus, [In whom] all have ſinned; namely, in Adam, as in a publique perſon. Their act was included in his, becauſe their perſons were included in his.
And 2.2. Adam a Common perſon in what beell him for what he did, as in death and his condemnation threatned. for what befell him for ſin, that befell them alſo by the ſame Law of his being a perſon repreſenting them. Hence ver. 12. Death is ſaid to paſſe upon all men, namely for this, that Adams ſin was conſidered as theirs, as it there follows. It is ſaid to paſſe, even as a ſentence of death paſſeth upon a condemned Malefactor. And ver. 18. Iudgment is ſaid to come by that one mans offence, upon all men, to condemnation. Now in Gen. 2. 17. the threatning was ſpoken only to Adam, as but one man, In the day that thou eateſt therof, thou ſhalt ſurely die: And Gen. 3. 19. that ſentence ſeems onelyonly to paſſe upon him alone, [VntoUnto duſt thou ſhalt return.] Yet in threatning Adam, God threatned us all; and in ſentencing Adam to death, he ſentenced us alſo: The curſe reacheth us too; Death paſſed upon all men then, and therefore by a juſt Law Death raigns over all, as ver. 14. and 17. becauſe Adam was in all this,Rom. 5. a Common perſon repreſenting us, and ſo in our ſtead; and ſo all this concerns us, as truely and as neerly as it did him. I ſay by a juſt Law; for indeed the Scripture upon the equity of this Rule, pronounceth a Statute out againſt all men, that they ſhould die, Heb. 9. 27. Statutum ſt, It is appointed by a Statute Law, that all ſhould die. Now if you ſearch for this Statute, when and where enacted, you will find, that the Originall Record and Roll is that in Gen. 3. 9. ſpoken onelyonly of Adam, but holding true of us, [To duſt thou ſhalt returne.]
Juſt thus the matter ſtands in the point of our§. 2. juſtification and ſalvation,Anſwerably Chriſt ordained a Common perſon, both in what he did, or was done to him. betweene Chriſt and Elect Beleevers; for Adam was herein his Type. Chriſt was conſidered and appointed of God as a Common perſon, both in what he did, and in what was done to him: So as by the ſame Law, what he did for us, is reckoned or imputed to us, as if we our ſelves had done it; and what was done to him, tending to our juſtification and ſalvation, is reckoned as done to us. Thus when Chriſt dyed, he dyed as a Common perſon, and God reckoneth that we dyed alſo. When Chriſt aroſe, he roſe as our Head, and as a Common perſon, and ſo then God accounts that we roſe alſo with him. And by vertue of that communion which we had with him in all thoſe actions of his, it is, that now when we are born againe, we do all riſe both from the guilt of ſin, and from the power of it; even as by vertue of the like communion we had with (or being one in) Adam, we come to be made ſinfull, when we begin firſt to exiſt as men, and to be firſt borne.
Thus in his death he was conſidered as a Common perſon,Exemplified by one inſtance in his dying. and God reckoned us dying then, and would have us reckon ſo alſo. So Rom. 6. 10. the Apoſtle ſpeaking of Chriſt, ſaith, In that he dyed, he dyed unto ſinne once, but in that he liveth, he liveth unto God. Then ver. 11. ſpeaking of us, he ſayes, [Likewiſe reckon] you your ſelves to be dead unto ſinne, but alive unto God, through Ieſus Chriſt our Lord. The meaning whereof is plainly this, that whereas regenerate men are for the preſent in the reality but imperfectly mortified and dead to ſinne, as conſidered in themſelves, and in reſpect of the work of it, as wrought in them; yet that being conſidered in Chriſt as their Head, and a Common perſon repreſenting them, they may foreign, they may truly by a way of faith reaſon or reckon themſelves wholly dead, in and through Jeſus Chriſt our Lord; in that he once dyed perfectly unto ſin, as a Common perſon repreſenting them. So as what yet is wanting in the work of Mortification, in their ſenſe and experience of it, they may ſupply by faith, from the conſideration of Chriſt their Head, even themſelves to have dyed, when he dyed. The Apoſtle, I ſay, would have them by reaſon conclude or inferre (for ſo the word foreign ſignifies, as Chap. 3. 28. therefore we conclude, &c. it is the ſame word) from Chriſts death, that they are dead: which Concluſion cannot be made, unleſſe this be one of the Propoſitions in this Argument, That we dyed in Chriſt, when hee dyed; and ſo though in our ſelves we are not yet wholly dead to ſin, nor perfectly alive to God; yet through Ieſus Chriſt your Lord and Head (ſayes he) reckon your ſelves ſo; in that (as ver. 10.) he dyed, and now lives; and you were included in him. And indeed, this Conſideration the Apoſtle ſuggeſts unto our faith, both as the greateſt encouragement againſt imperfect mortification begun; that yet we may comfort our ſelves by faith, as reckoning our ſelves wholly dead in Chriſts death, and ſo may aſſure our ſelves, we ſhall one day be perfectly dead in our ſelves by vertue of it; and withall, as the ſtrongeſt argument alſo & motive unto Mortification, to endeavour to attain to the higheſt degree of it: which therefore he carryes along in his Diſcourſe throughout that whole Chapter. He would have them by faith or ſpirituall reaſoning take in, and apprehend themſelves long ſince dead to ſin in Chriſt, when he dyed; and ſo ſhould think it the greateſt abſurdity in the world to ſin, even the leaſt ſinne, we being dead long ſince, and that wholly, when Chriſt our Head dyed: And how ſhall we that are dead to ſinne, live any longer therein? And ver. 7. He that is dead, is free from ſinne; and how then ſhall we doe the leaſt ſervice to it? Now all this he puts upon Chriſts dying, and our dying then with him: ver. 6. [Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, (even when he was crucified) that it might be deſtroyed] one day in us, fully and perfectly: Chriſts Body repreſenting therein as a publique perſon, the Elect, and their body of ſin conjunct with them. So as thus by faith they are to reaſon themſelves wholly dead to ſin in Chriſt, and to uſe it as a reaſon and motive to ſtir up themſelves not to yeeld to the leaſt ſin. I uſe this expreſſion of being wholly dead, becauſe if he had ſpoken meerly of that imperfect mortification begun in us, the argument would not have been a perfect motive againſt the leaſt ſinnes. [We who are dead, how ſhall we live in ſinne,] or yeeld unto the leaſt ſinne? For it might be ſaid, Alas, we are but imperfectly dead; and from an imperfect death could but an imperfect argument have been drawn. But the Scripture elſewhere tels us, that Chriſt by his death hath [perfected] for ever all that are ſanctified: ſo Heb. 10. So as in his death they may reckon themſelves perfectly dead by faith, and perfectly ſanctified, though yet the work be not actually and fully perfected.
And all this communion with Chriſt as a Common perſon, repreſenting them in his death, he there inſtructs them to be repreſented and ſealed up to them by their Baptiſme; ſo ver. 3, 4. How, I ſhall ſhew afterwards.
Now as this place holds forth Chriſt as a Common perſon in his Death repreſenting us;§. 2. ſo other places hold forth the like of his Reſurrection. More particularly, how Chriſt was a Common perſon in his Reſurrection, and therein repreſenting us.In the 1 Cor. 15. 20. the Apoſtle argues, that Elect Beleevers muſt and ſhall riſe, becauſe Now Chriſt is riſen from the dead, and is become the firſt-fruits of them that ſleep. See the force of this Argument founded upon this notion and conſideration, that Chriſt was a Common perſon repreſenting all the reſt; and this ſtrongly preſented in that expreſſion of his being the firſt-fruits, in alluſion to the Rite in the Leviticall Law. All the ſheaves in a field being unholy of themſelves, there was ſome one ſheafe in the name and room of all the reſt, (which was called the firſt-fruit) which was lift up, and waved before the Lord; and ſo all the ſheaves abroad in the field, by that act done to this one ſheafe, were conſecrated unto God, (Levi. 23. 10. &c.) by vertue of that law. The meaning of which Rite, the Apoſtle expounding; alledgeth Rom. 11. 16. [If the firſt-fruits be holy, all the lump is holy alſo,] Thus when we were all dead, Chriſt as the Firſt-fruits riſeth, and this in our name and ſtead, and ſo we all riſe with him and in him. And although the Saints departed are not, it their owne perſons, as yet riſen, (as wee all who are now alive, are not in our own perſons yet dead) yet in the meane time, because thus they are riſen in Chriſt, as their Firſt-fruits; hence, in the very words following, hee faith, they are but aſleep, [He is become the firſt-fruits of them that ſleep,] becauſe they remaine alive in Chriſt their Head, and ſhall riſe one day: becauſe [in him] they virtually are already riſen; and this in Gods account in as true and juſt a ſenſe, as we (though perſonally alive) are yet all reckoned dead in Adam, becauſe in as a Common perſon had the ſentence of death pronounced on him, by vertue of which we muſt dye; and this by the force of the ſame Law, even of that which wee have inclucated of being a Common perſon, repreſenting us. And indeed, ſo it followes, (which argues this to be the Apoſtles meaning) ver. 21. For as in Adam all die, even ſo in Chriſt ſhall all be made alive. His argument lies thus: Adam was the firſt-fruits of them that dyed; Chriſt, of them that riſe. Hence therefore we are elſewhere ſaid (though in reſpect to another life) to be riſe with Chriſt, Epheſ. 2. 5, 6. & (which is yet more) to ſit together with him in heaven: becauſe he as a Common perſon repreſenting us, ſits there in our name and ſtead, as you ſhall heare when I come to in the Text, in the next Section.
CHAP. V.
The ſecond branch: How Chriſts repreſenting us as a Common Perſon in his Reſurrection, hath an Influence into our Juſtification, made forth by two things: 1. How Chriſt at his Reſurrection was juſtified from our ſin: 2. That we were all then juſtified in him as a Common perſon.
NOw then to come to the other branch of the Demonſtration, namely, how this relation to us as a Common Perſon repreſenting us in his Reſurrection, hath a reall influence into our Juſtification: And this is the point I drive at; and for the clearing of which that large and general diſcourſe by way of digreſſion in the former Chapter was but to make way for.
I ſhall abſolve and diſpatch this Branch, by ſhewing two things:
1. That Chriſt himſelfe was juſtified, and that at his Reſurrection.
2. That he was juſtified then as a Common perſon, repreſenting us therein, as well as that he roſe as a Common perſon; and ſo that we were then juſtified in him and with him; and by this meanes it is that by that Act then done to him, our Juſtification is made irrepealable for ever.
For the explicating of the firſt:§. 1. As Chriſt was in his death made ſinne for us,1. That Chriſt himſelfe was juſtified at his Reſurrection. and ſo ſuſtained our perſons in his ſatisfying for ſin by his death, (which is the matter of our righteouſneſſe) ſo in and upon his Reſurrection he was juſtified and acquited from our ſins by God,Made forth by three things laid together. as having now fully in his Death ſatisfied for them, which I make forthby theſe three things put together:
Firſt, in reaſon,1. There muſt have been ſome Act paſſe from God, when Chriſt was acquited and juſtified from our ſins by God. if that Chriſt were made ſinne for us, and ſatisfied for it, there muſt then ſome Act paſſe, whereby Chriſt ſhould be pronounced acquit of our ſinnes, and fully cleare of them, and ſo be himſelfe formally juſtified, in reſpect of thoſe ſins, for which he undertook to ſatisfie. For according to the courſe of all Proceedings, if a charge of guilt be formally laid, there muſt be as formall an Act of acquiting, and of giving a Quietus eſt: There is no man, but for his owne diſcharge and ſecurity would deſire it. Nor is there any wiſe man that payes a debt for which he is legally ſued, that wil not have upon the payment of it, as legall an Acquitance. Paul, when he was caſt into priſon by a publique Act of Authority, he ſtood upon it to have a publique Act of Releaſe from the ſame Magiſtrates, and would not goe forth of priſon privily, though themſelves ſent to him ſo to goe out, Acts 36. 37. Now God himſelfe did lay the iniquities of us all upon Chriſt, Eſay 53. 6. and had him to priſon, and to Iudgement for them, ver. 8. There muſt therefore ſome Act paſſe from God, legally to take them off from him, and declaring him diſcharged, to deliver him from Priſon and Judgement.
And De facto it is evident,That there was ſuch an Act paſſed. that there was ſome ſuch Act paſſed from God; for as we read, that Chriſt vvhile he lived, and alſo in his Death, was made ſin, and did beare the ſin of many, as the phraſe is, Heb. 9. 28. So we read in the very next words, that he ſhall appeare the ſecond time [without ſinne,] which muſt needs be ſpoken in a direct oppoſition to his having born our ſins, and appearing then with all our ſins laid to his charge. He appeared charged with them then, but now he ſhall appeare as apparently and as manifeſtly to be without thoſe ſins, (for of our ſins it muſt needs be meant) and ſo to be diſcharged of them as fully, as ever he appeared charged with them: For it is ſaid, He ſhall [appeare] without ſin; and therefore to the judgements of all it ſhall be made manifeſt, that that God that once charged him with them, hath now fully diſcharged him of them. The Apoſtle ſpeaks of it as of a great alteration made in this reſpect betweene Chriſt as he was whilſt on earth, and Chriſt as he is to appeare the ſecond time, and is now in heaven. And this alteration or diſcharge muſt neceſſarily be made by God; for he is the Creditour vvho followed the Suit, and therefore he alone can give the Acquitance.
Now ſecondly,2. There muſt be ſome ſeaſon of time, when this diſcharge from our ſins was firſt made unto Chriſt. from hence it will follow, that there muſt be ſome time when this alteration was firſt made, and diſcharge given; when Chriſt from being ſin, as he was made, ſhould become without ſinne, through Gods acquiting of him; and this, ſay I, was at his Reſurrection. It is not deferred as then to be firſt done, when he is to appeare the ſecond time, though then it appeares indeed, but it is really done before; for hee comes then to judge others for ſinne. Now in reaſon, when ſhould this Acquitance or Juſtification from our ſins be firſt given to Chriſt, and legally pronounced on him, but when he had paid the laſt farthing of the debt, and made his ſatisfaction compleat? which was then done, when he began to riſe: for his lying in the grave was a part of his Humiliation, and ſo of his Satisfaction, as generally Orthodoxe Divines hold. Now therefore when he began to riſe, then ended his Humiliation; and that was the firſt moment of his Exaltation. His Acquitance therefore bears Date from thence, even from that very houre.
Hence thirdly,3. That this muſt needs be, and was firſt made to him at his Reſurrection. we read, as that Chriſt was condemned, ſo that he was juſtified. Thus 1 Tim. 3. 16. God is ſaid to be manifeſt in the fleſh, and then that this God-man was juſtified in the ſpirit: That is, whereas God was manifeſt or appeared in fleſh to condemne ſinne in the fleſh, as Rom. 8. that ſame God-man was alſo juſtified in the ſpirit from all thoſe ſins, and ſo received up to glory, as it follows there. And not to goe far, the very words of this my Text, [It is God that juſtifies] are taken out of Eſay 50. 8, 9. and as there, they are firſt ſpoken by Chriſt of himſelfe, then, when he gave his back to the ſmiters, in his death, (as in the verſes before) and vvas put to death as a condemned man, he comforts himſelfe vvith this, [He is neere that juſtifies me, who ſhall condemne?] And when was that done, or to be done, but at his Reſurrection? So the phraſe in Timothy imports, if you compare it with another in Peter, 1 Pet. 3. 18. Being put to death in the fleſh, [and quickned in (or by) the ſpirit.] Paul, he ſayes, [Iuſtified in the ſpirit;] Peter, he ſayes, [Quickned in the ſpirit:] both meane one and the ſame thing. By [Spirit] is meant the power of his God-head, and Divine nature, whereby he was at once both raiſed from the grave, and from under the guilt of ſin together. He was at once both quickned, (or raiſed) and juſtified alſo. And that by [Spirit] they mean his Divine nature, the oppoſition in both places evidently implyes; for it is oppoſed to his [Fleſh] or humane nature. Now becauſe he was quickned (or raiſed) by the power of the God-head, and at that raiſing him, he was juſtifyed alſo by God, and declared juſtifyed by that Reſurrection, (as he had been declared condemned by his death) Hence, to [be juſtified] is put for his Reſurrection; for that was his juſtification, or declaration to all the world, that he was juſtified from all the ſins laid to his charge. And that other place I cited out of Iſaiah, hath the ſame meaning alſo; for Chriſt there comforts himſelfe againſt the Jews condemning him, and putting him to death, with the hopes of Gods juſtifying of him, when he ſhould have gone through that work. And Chriſts meaning there is this, God will raiſe me up, and acquit me, though you condemne and kill me. In the other Prophets you ſhall find Chriſt ſtill comforting himſelf againſt his condemnation at his death, with the thoughts of his Reſurrection which he fore-ſaw as ſhortly to follow after it; as here in Eſay he comforts himſelfe with theſe hopes of his being juſtified after their condemnation of him. For inſtance, Pſa. 16. 9. My fleſh ſhall reſt in hope, thou wilt not leave my ſoule in hell, nor ſuffer thy holy One to ſee corruption. Which words (you know) Peter in the Acts doth twice interpret of Chriſts Reſurrection. In like manner here in Eſay, againſt his death and condemnation he comforts himſelf with the hopes of Gods juſtification of him at his Reſurrection, He is neere who juſtifies me, (and he ſhall help me) who ſhall condemne? And further,His Reſurrection therefore called his firſt begetting. to confirm & ſtrengthen this notion, becauſe his Reſurrection was the firſt moment of this his juſtification from our ſins, therefore it is, that God cals it his firſt begetting of Chriſt, [This day have I begotten thee] ſpeaking manifeſtly of his Reſurrection, Acts 13. 35. And the reaſon of his ſo calling it, is, becauſe all the while before he was covered with ſin, and the likeneſſe of ſinfull fleſh; But now having flung it off, he appears like Gods Son indeed, (as if newly begotten.) And thus alſo there commeth to be the fuller conformity betweene Chriſt juſtification & ours: For as our juſtification is at our firſt being born again, And therein a conformity between our Regeneration, and his Reſurrection.ſo was Chriſt alſo at this his firſt glorious begetting. He was under an Attainder before; here was the Act of Reſtitution firſt paſſed. And as at our Converſion (which is to us a Reſurrection) wee paſſe from death to life; (that is, from an eſtate of death and condemnation, unto juſtification of life) ſo did Chriſt alſo at his Reſurrection, (which to him was are begetting) paſſe from an eſtate of death and guilt laid on him, to an eſtate of Life & Glory, and juſtification from guilt; and ſo ſhall appear, as the word is, Heb. 9. ult. (as he doth now in heaven) without ſin; for he became to be without ſin frō that very moment. Thus I have ſhewn how Chriſt was juſtified at his Reſurrection.
Now then in the 2.§. 2. place,2. That Beleevers were all juſtified in Chriſt his juſtification, as a Common perſon repreſenting them. I am to ſhew that this his juſtification, and pronouncing him without ſin, thus done at his Reſurrection, was done to him as the Firſt-fruits, and as to a Common perſon bearing our perſons, & ſo, in our names. From whence wil neceſſarily follow, as the Concluſion of all, That the perſons of all the elect Beleevers, have beene juſtified before God in Chriſt, as their Head, at, or from the time of his Reſurrection; and ſo that Act of Juſtification to have beene ſo firmly paſt, as it cannot be revoked for ever.
Now this is proved,Proved 1. … the common analogie of the former inſtances. firſt, by the very ſame reaſon or reſpect that he was ſaid to be the firſt-fruits of them that ſleep, as repreſenting the reſt in his Reſurrection, (which I ſhewed at large in the former Chap. upon the ſame ground he is to be ſo lookt at alſo in this his Juſtification pronounced upon him at his Reſurrection, even as the firſt-fruits alſo of them that are juſtified. And ſo in the ſame ſenſe, & by the ſame reaſon that we are ſaid to be riſen with Chriſt, in his Reſurrection; we muſt alſo be ſaid to be juſtified with him, in this his juſtification, at his Reſurrection. And indeed,In all things which God doth unto us Chriſt is the firſt-fruits, and God doth them firſt upon him. (to enlarge this a little,) as there is the ſame reaſon & ground for the one that there is for the other, (he being a publike perſon in both) ſo the rule will hold in all other things which God ever doth to us, or for us, which are common with Chriſt, and were done to him; that in them all Chriſt was the firſt-fruits, and they may be ſaid to have beene done in us, or to us, yea by us, in him, and with him. Yea, what ever God meant to doe for us, and in us, what ever priviledge or benefit he meant to beſtow upon us, he did that thing firſt to Chriſt, and (ſome way) beſtowed the like on him as a Common perſon, that ſo it might be by a ſolemne formall Act ratified, and be made ſure to be done to us in our perſons in due time, having firſt been done to him repreſenting our perſons; and that by this courſe taken, it might (when done to us) be effected by vertue of what was firſt done to him. Thus God meaning to ſanctifie us,Thus in Sanctification Chriſt firſt ſanctified, then we in him. he ſanctifies Chriſt firſt, in him as a Common perſon ſanctifying us all: For their ſakes I ſanctifie my ſelfe, that they alſo may be ſanctified through thy truth, Iohn 17. 19. He ſanctifies the humane nature of Chriſt perſonall, that he may ſanctifie Chriſt myſticall, (that is, his body) and him firſt, as a Common perſon repreſenting us, that ſo we being virtually, and repreſentatively ſanctified in him, may be ſure to be ſanctified afterwards in our own perſons, by means of his ſanctification. And ſo in like manner for our ſakes he was juſtified in the Spirit; becauſe we were to be juſtified, and ſo to be juſtified firſt in him,So in all bleſſings elſe. and with him as a Common perſon. Now this rule holds in all bleſſings elſe beſtowed; for Paul pronounceth of them all, that God hath bleſſed us with all ſpirituall bleſſings in Chriſt Ieſus, Epheſ. 1. 3. which God duplicate page duplicate page did ſo order, (that as he ſpeaks of ordaining ſalvation to be by faith, Rom. 4. 16.) that all thoſe bleſſings might be ſure to all the ſeed. For this formall inveſtiture of eſtating us into all bleſſings by ſuch ſolemne acts done to Chriſt as our Head and Repreſenter of us, makes what he intends to beſtow, ſure before-hand, by an irrepealable act and ſentence, which hath its warrant in all Laws of men, as I have ſhewne, and ſhall anon again urge.
And ſecondly,2. Proved by the equity of that in Adams condemnation we were all condemned. by the equity of the ſame Law that in Adam we were all condemned, (Adam being a Type of him in this) by the ſame Law (I ſay) we were all juſtified in Chriſt when he was juſtified, elſe the Type were not therein fulfilled. Now the ſentence of condemnation was firſt paſſed upon Adam alone, yet conſidered as a Common perſon for us; therefore alſo this Acquitance and Juſtification was then paſſed towards Chriſt alone, as a publique perſon for us. Yea, in this his being juſtified,Chriſt much rather a Common perſon in his being juſtified, then Adam was in his condemnation. Chriſt muſt much rather be conſidered as a Common perſon repreſenting us, then Adam was, in his condemnation: For Chriſt in his owne perſon, as he had no ſinne, ſo he had no need of any juſtification from ſinne, nor ſhould ever have been condemned: And therefore this muſt be onelyonly in a reſpect unto our ſins imputed to him; and if ſo, then in our ſtead. And ſo herein, he was more purely to be conſidered as a Common perſon for us, then ever Adam was, in his being condemned. For Adam, beſides his ſtanding as a Common perſon for us, was furthermore condemned in his own perſon; but Chriſt in being juſtified from ſinne, could onelyonly be conſidered as ſtanding for others. Thus Rom. 5. 18. Therefore as by the offence of one, judgement came upon all men to condemnation; even [ſo] (or, in like manner) by the righteouſneſſe of that one (man Chriſt) the free gift came upon all men (namely, in Chriſt) unto juſtification of life. He parallels both with a [So,] only with this difference betweene Adams being a Common perſon for us, (and ſo betweene the ground of our being condemned in him) and Chriſt his being a Common perſon for us, (and our Acquitance in him) that the condemnation came upon all by a neceſſary, naturall covenant, (for by ſuch a covenant was Adam appointed a Common perſon for us) but Chriſt his being appointed thus a Common perſon for us, it was by a free gift of grace; and therefore in like manner by a free gift of grace it is that the imputation of that which he did, or was done to him, is reckoned ours. As then in Adam all dyed, when he ſinned, (as the Apoſtle ſpeaks) ſo in Chriſt were all juſtified, when he was juſtified For as in his death Chriſt was a publique perſon for us, and in all that befell him; ſo in his Reſurrection, and in all that was then done to him; and ſo, in this his being then juſtified. And as when he dyed, the Iuſt was put to death for the unjuſt, (as Peter ſpeaks) ſo when he roſe and was juſtified, the Juſt that needed no juſtification was juſtified for the unjuſt, who elſe had been condemned; and ſo we were then juſtified with him.
CAP. VI.
How our faith may raiſe from hence juſt matter of Triumph about our Juſtification. An explication how we are juſtified by faith, although juſtified in Chriſt at his Reſurrection.
ANd hereupon is grounded this Triumph of Faith here, from Chriſts Reſurrection, Who ſhall condemne? It is Chriſt that is riſen: The meaning whereof is, that was juſtifyed at his Reſurrection, ([Iuſtified in the Spirit] and [Quickned in the Spirit] being all one) and we in him: Yea, and a [rather] is put upon this, rather then upon his death; for this act was a ſolemne diſcharge from all ſin and condemnation; it was a legall Acquitance given to Chriſt for all our ſins, and ſo to us alſo conſidered as in him. His Death was but the ſatisfaction and payment; but this is the firſt Act of Abſolution: Yea, and this is the Originall Act, which is upon Record between God and Chriſt; and our Juſtification and Atonement (when we are juſtified by faith in Chriſt) is but a Copie fetcht from this Roll, and Court ſentence then pronounced.
And ſuch a way and courſe to ratifie and make Acts good & legall, (even to have them done by another repreſenting ones perſon) is common among men, (as thoſe inſtances I formerly gave do ſhew.) An Attorney at Law receives a debt, or an Acquitance for a debt, paid or given for another man, and it is as legall, as if the man himſelfe, or Creditour had done it, and the Debtour had received the Acquitance himſelfe. Yea, Acts of the greateſt and higheſt concernment are oft-times no otherwiſe tranſacted; as the marriages of Princes are by Proxy ſolemized, their Embaſſadours repreſenting their perſons, and contracting and marrying their wives in their ſtead, which acts are thereby made as irrevocable, and irrepealable, as if themſelves had in perſon done them. And ſo if we were juſtified when Chriſt did riſe and was juſtified, our juſtification then cannot be reverſed, but ſtands as legall and warrantable as any act that God or man ever ratified or confirmed. And Who then ſhall condemne?
OnelyOnly,A Caution. for farther explication ſake, (leſt there be a miſtake) let me adde this, That it is neceſſary that we be juſtifyed in our owne perſons by faith, (notwithſtanding this former Act thus legally paſſed) whereby we lay hold upon what God did thus before for us in Chriſt, to the end that God upon our beleeving may according to his owne rules juſtifie his juſtifying of us unto all the world; which untill vve doe beleeve, hee could not doe: For according to the revealed Rules of his Word, (vvhichwhich he profeſſeth to proceed by at the latter day) there is a curſe and a ſentence of condemnation pronounced againſt us, under which we ſtand til he ſhall take it off, by giving us faith; unto which he hath, in the ſame Word made the promiſe of juſtifying us in our own perſons, as before he had done in Chriſt. Yet ſtill notwithſtanding, ſo, as, although when we firſt beleeve, then only Juſtification is actually and perſonally applyed to us; yet at Chriſts Reſurrection, and in his being then juſtified, this act and ſentence was virtually pronounced upon us; and ſo doth neceſſarily require, and exact at Gods hands, the beſtowing faith upon us; that ſo by vertue of this former act paſſed, we come to be actually juſtified in our owne conſciences, and before all the world: And ſo our Juſtification which was but ſecretly wrought, & paſſed upon us in Chriſt, is never made void, but ſtands irrepealable; and ſo ratified, that our perſonall juſtification by faith doth alwayes infallibly ſecond and ſucceed it. And (to illuſtrate it a little) our condemnation in Adam, and this our juſtification in Chriſt, doe in this hold parallel together, That as in Adam we were all virtually condemned, (In Adam all dye) (and that legally enough too, for thereupon came out that Statute-Law, Statutum eſt, It is appointed that all ſhould dye) and yet we are not actually in our owne perſons condemned, till we are borne of him; nor doe we perſonally dye, untill we lay downe our fleſh: Even ſo is it in the matter of our Juſtification; it was done virtually in Chriſt, and afterwards when we beleeve, is actually paſſed in and upon our ſelves. Now I call this former but a virtuall Iuſtification, even as by the ſentence of condemnation paſſed upon a Malefactor, he is called a dead man, that is, he is ſo virtually and in Law, (as we ſay) though naturally he dye not many dayes after, but in that reſpect may be ſtill alive: ſo by Chriſts being juſtifyed, we are all virtually, and in Law juſtifyed, through a ſecret, yet irrepealable Covenant betweene God and Chriſt, who onelyonly did then know who were his.
And for a confirmation even of this alſo, That God accounts all the Elect juſtifyed in his juſtifying of Chriſt, we ſhall not need to goe any farther then the words of this Text, if we doe but diligently compare their ſtanding here, with that of theirs in that place out of which they are taken, and where we find them firſt recorded and ſpoken, namely, in that 50. of Eſay, 7, 8. He is neere that juſtifies me, who is he that ſhall condemne? Now there (as Interpreters agree, and as the Context ſhews) thoſe words are ſpoken by Chriſt himſelfe: for ver. 5. he ſpeaks of Gods boring his eare to doe his will, (the ſame expreſſion that is uſed of Chriſt, Pſal. 40. 6.) and farther ſayes, I gave my b… to the ſmiters, and my cheeks to them that pulled off the haire, and I hid not my face from ſhame and ſpitting: (all which you may read in Chriſts ſufferings, Mat. 26. 27. and 27. 26.) And he ſpake before (in ver. 4.) of Gods having given him the tongue of the learned, to ſpeak a word in ſeaſon to him that is weary: (which you may read done by Chriſt, Mat. 11. 28.) Now thoſe words were ſpoken by Chriſt, to comfort himſelfe againſt the Jews condemning him, as conſidering that God would juſtifie him; as at his Reſurrection (you have heard) he did. Now mark it, thoſe very words which Iſaiah brings in Chriſt ſpeaking as of himſelfe alone, (thoſe very words) Paul here boldly applyes (in the like triumph) to all the Elect of Chriſt, Who ſhall condemne? It is God that juſtifies; and this, becauſe Chriſt is dead, & riſen, and acquited by God. Chriſt ſpake thoſe words as a publique perſon, in the name of all his Elect, whom he in his death, and in his juſtification repreſented; and for that very reſpect Paul ſpeaks the like words over again, of all Elect Beleevers, as being as truly and really intended of them, when ſpoken by Chriſt, as of himſelf, and his owne perſon. He is neere that juſtifies me, (ſayes Chriſt) who ſhall condemne? (namely) Me, or mine Elect, whoſe perſons I ſuſtaine. And Who ſhall lay any thing to the charge of Gods Elect? (ſayes Paul) It is God that juſtifies, who ſhall condemne? for Chriſt hath dyed, and been condemned for them, and Chriſt was juſtifyed from that condemnation, and they in him. And becauſe the juſtification of himſelfe, which Chriſt ſpake of as lookt for from God, was to be made at his Reſurrection, (as hath been ſaid) therefore Paul here puts a [rather] upon his Reſurrection.
And farther to eſtabliſh this, as you heard before out of Rom. 6. 10. that in reſpect of Sanctification we were dead with Chriſt, even then when he dyed; ſo in the 2. of Coloſſ. 13. we are ſaid to be riſen with him, in reſpect of our juſtification, (which is the thing in hand.) The words are, And you being dead in your ſins, (namely, the guilt of your ſins) and the uncircumciſion of your fleſh, (that is, in reſpect of the power of corrupt nature) hath he quickned together with him, [having forgiven you all your treſpaſſes.] See here, the forgiveneſſe of our ſins, or our juſtification, is called a quickning, or a raiſing up of us, (as the 12. ver. hath it) together with him, in a conformity and relation to that juſtification from our ſins, which at his Reſurrection he received in our names. His meaning is, he was juſtified then, & in our names; and ſo we are now juſtifyed through the vertue of that our communion with him therein: For if you mark the connexion of the words with what follows, ver. 14. you will finde this forgiving of their treſpaſſes (ver. 13.) through their being quickned together with him, not onelyonly to have been done when they beleeved, and ſo when they had that juſtification perſonally firſt applyed to them, (of which, it is true, the words in the 12. ver. are to be underſtood) but alſo then to have been done, when he having (as it follows in the 14. ver.) blotted out the hand-writing of Ordinances which was againſt us, nailing it to his Croſſe, and having ſpoiled Principalities and Powers, and got the victory, (namely, in his riſing again) had made a ſhew of them openly, (in his aſcending to heaven) triumphing over them [foreign] in himſelfe, (as the Margent hath it) (of which words I ſhall farther ſpeak in the next Head) So as then when Chriſt did this in himſelfe, then were our ſins forgiven; then were we acquited with him, and triumphed with him; he doing all this in our ſtead, repreſenting us.
CHAP. VII.
How all this, both the ſupport of our faith, and our Juſtification by Chriſts Reſurrrection, is ſealed up to us in Baptiſme. The Concluſion. How faith may make uſe of Chriſts Reſurrection in its pleas to God.
ANd all this our communion with Chriſt in his Reſurrection, both in reſpect of Sanctification, (which the 6. of the Rom. holds forth) and of Juſtification, (which this place in the Coloſſ. holds forth) is lively (as both places declare) ſet out, and ſealed up to us, in the Sacrament of Baptiſme. Rom. 6. 3, 4. we are ſaid to be buried with him in Baptiſme, &c. and Col. 2. 12. Buryed with him in Baptiſme, wherein alſo you are riſen with him. The ominent thing ſignified and repreſented in Baptiſme, is not ſimply the bloud of Chriſt as it waſheth us from ſin; but there is a farther repreſentation therein of Chriſts Death, Buriall, and Reſurrection, in the Baptized's being firſt buryed under water, and then riſing out of it; and this not in a bare conformity unto Chriſt, but in a repreſentation of a communion with Chriſt, in that his Death and Reſurrection: Therefore it is ſaid, [We are buryed with him in Baptiſme:] and, [Wherein you are riſen with him:] It is not ſimply ſaid, like as he was buryed, and roſe; but [With him.] So as our communion and one-neſſe with him in his Reſurrection, is repreſented to us therein, and not onelyonly our conformity or likeneſſe unto him therein. And ſo Baptiſme repreſenteth this to us, that Chriſt having once in himſelfe ſuſtained the perſons of all the Elect, in his Buriall and Reſurrection, that now upon the party himſelfe who is baptized, is perſonally, particularly, and apparently re-acted the ſame Part againe, in his Baptiſme; thereby ſhewing what his communion with Chriſt before was, in what was then done to Chriſt; that he then was buried with Chriſt, and roſe with him: and upon that ground, is now in this outward ſign of Baptiſme, (as in a ſhew or repreſentation) both buryed, and alſo riſeth againe.
And moreover, hence it is, that the Anſwer of a good conſcience, (which is made the inward effect of this Ordinance of Baptiſme, 1 Pet. 3. 21.) is there alſo attributed unto Chriſts Reſurrection, as the thing ſignified and repreſented in Baptiſme, and as the cauſe of that anſwer of a good conſcience: Even Baptiſme (ſaith he) doth now alſo ſave us (as being the Ordinance that ſeales up ſalvation) not the putting away of the filth of the fleſh, or the waſhing of the outward man; but the anſwer of a good conſcience towards God, [By the Reſurrection of Ieſus Chriſt.] To open theſe words: Our conſciences are that principle in us, which are the ſeat of the guilt of all the ſinnes of the whole man; unto whoſe Court they all come to accuſe us, as unto Gods Deputy: which Conſcience is called Good or Evill, as the ſtate of the man is. If his ſinne remain unpardoned, then as his eſtate is damnable, ſo his conſcience is evill: If his ſins bee forgiven, and his perſon juſtified, his conſcience is ſaid to bee good: Conſcience having its denomination from the mans ſtate, even as the Urine is called good or bad, as the ſtate of the mans body is healthful or unſound, whoſe Urine it is. Now in Baptiſme, forviveneſſe of ſins, and juſtification, being ſealed up to a believers faith & conſcience, under that lively repreſentation of his Communion with Chriſt in his Reſurrection: hence this is made the fruit of Baptiſme, that the good conſcience of a believer ſealed up in Baptiſme, hath where withall from thence to anſwer all accuſations of ſin, that can, or doe at any time come in upon him; and all this as it is there added, [By vertue of the reſurrection of Ieſus Chriſt:] namely, in this reſpect, that his Communion with Chriſt in his Reſurrection, hath been repreſented in his Baptiſme as a ground of his faith, and of that Anſwer unto all accuſations. So that indeed, the ſame thing that Paul ſayes by way of triumph and defiance to all accuſations, Who ſhall condemne? [Chriſt is riſen] the very ſame thing Peter here mentions, though not by way of Defiance, yet of a Beleevers Anſwer and Apologie, That if ſinnes doe come to condemne or accuſe, a good conſcience is ready to ſay, Chriſt is riſen, and I was then juſtified in him; There is my Anſwer, which nothing in heaven nor hell is able to reply unto. This is the anſwer of a good conſcience, by the Reſurrection of Ieſus Chriſt.
Now to crown this ſecond Pillar of Faith with this Coronis or Concluſion,Application. by way of Application or Direction to a believers faith,How ſaith is to make uſe of this in pleading our Juſtification. How to make uſe of Chriſts Reſurrection in point of non-condemnation. You heard before, out of Rom. 6. that in reſpect of Mortification (as the Apoſtle there reaſoneth) we may be truly ſaid to have been perfectly dead to all ſinne in Chriſts dying unto ſin once: and through his repreſenting us therein as dying unto ſinne, in and with him. So as although we be for the preſent but imperfectly mortified in our ſelves, yet when corruptions ariſe, the Apoſtle bids us help our ſelves againſt them by faith, [reaſoning] our ſelves to ſtand wholly dead to ſin, when Chriſt dyed; and ſo to conclude from thence, that we ſhall one day be fully dead to ſin, becauſe we then did perfectly dye in Chriſt unto it: which kinde of reaſoning alſo God would have us uſe as a motive (and of all motives that are in the Goſpell it is the ſtrongeſt) againſt any corruption when as it ariſeth; Shall I that am dead to ſin in Chriſt (and ſo am freed from it) ſhall I live any longer therein? Ver. 2. Now as God would have our faith make this uſe of our Communion with Chriſt in his death, in point of ſanctification; juſt ſo, when guilt of ſin ariſeth in thy conſcience to accuſe or threaten condemnation, [reaſon] thou thy ſelfe (as the Apoſtles word is in that other caſe) or reckon thy ſelfe (as our tranſlation hath it) juſtified in Chriſt, in his Juſtification, which was done at his Reſurrection. Yea, and ſeeing God would have thee uſe thy Communion with Chriſt in his Death, as an argument to move thee to mortifie ſin, (bidding thee to reckon thy ſelf dead to ſin in Chriſt) doe thou deſire him in like manner, to reckon thee as juſtified at Chriſts Reſurrection (for the ground of both is the ſame) and return that as an argument to him, to move him to juſtifie thee. And this is that anſwer of a good conſcience which Peter ſpeaks of; this is the meaning of Pauls challenge, Who ſhall condemne? Chriſt is riſen.
And ſhould thy heart object, and ſay, But I know not whether I was one of thoſe that God reckoned juſtified with Chriſt when he aroſe: Then go thou to God, and aske him boldly, whether he did not doe this for thee, and whether thou wert not one of them intended by him; put God to it, and God will (by vertue of Chriſts Reſurrection for thee) even himſelfe [Anſwer] thy faith this queſtion, ere thou art aware; He will not deny it: And to ſecure thee the more, know, that however Chriſt will bee ſure to look to that, for thee; ſo as that thou having been then intended, (as if thy heart be drawne to give it ſelf up to Chriſt, thou wert) ſhalt never be condmned.