fuch have paffed from death to life, and fhall not come into condemnation; they are juftified by the blood of Chrift, and shall be saved from wrath through him. I proceed to the other doctrinal propofition.

II. That the Father's juftification of the elect, the Son's dying for them, his refurrection from the dead, his feffion at the right hand of God, and interceffion. for them, are a fufficient and full fecurity of them from all charges and condemnation.

First, The Father's juftification of them: it is God that justifieth; that is, his elect which fhews the eternity of this act; for if the elect of God, as fuch confidered, are the objects of juftification; and these were chofen in Chrift before the world began, they must be juftified as early; or otherwife it could not be always faid with truth, God justifieth the elect: and alfo the fpecialty of this act of grace; it belonging only to the chofen of God, and precious and likewife the continuance of it; it can never be made void; it is infeparable with glorification, and fo is a fecurity from all charges and condemnation; for,

1. Let it be confidered whofe act this is: it is God's act; it is he that juftifies; he against whom these persons have finned, whofe law they have broken, whofe juftice they have affronted, whofe legiflative power and authority they have trampled upon; who is the lawgiver, that is able to fave and to deftroy: it is he that acquits; and if he difcharges, who can lay any thing to their charge? Befides, he is jult whilft he is the justifier of them: nor would he be just if he did not justify them; for his juftice is intirely fatisfied with the righteousness of his Son, on their account; and it would be unjust to take fatisfaction of their furety for them, and yet bring charges against them: this the judge of all the earth will not do; he always does that which is right.

2. The nature of this act of juftification: it is not teaching men the way of righteousness, or how finners may be juft with God, or inftructing men in the doctrine of juftification, fhewing the method God takes in juftifying a finner :: this is what the minifters of the gospel do, who are therefore faid to justify many, Dan. xii. 3. or, as we render it, turn many to righteousness: nor is it an infufion of righteousness and holiness into the hearts of men, which is no other than fanctification, and is a quite different thing; a work of grace within, and which is imperfect, and is gradually carried on: but it is a forenfic term; by this act a man is made rectus in curia: it is a pronouncing him righteous, as if he had never finned; an acquitting him from all charges; and is opposed to condemnation, Romans v. 18. and fo is a fecurity from all fuch things.

3. That by which God juftifies: which is not the obedience of man; nor any works of righteoufnefs done by him: thefe are imperfect, and by them no man can be juftified in the fight of God; thefe would not be a fufficient fecurity

from

from charges and condemnation; for they themselves are as filthy rags, and need washing in the blood of Jefus: but it is the obedience and righteoufnefs of Christ, by which God juftifies; which is complete and perfect; which is answerable to all the demands of law and juftice; by which the law is magnified, and made honourable, and with which God is well pleafed; and this he imputes to his people, without any confideration of their works; and this fecures them from all the charges of law and juftice.

4. This act of juftification is univerfal: it reaches to all things with which God's elect may be chargeable; and the righteoufnefs of Chrift juftifies from all things, from which there can be no juftification by the law of Mofes: being clothed with this change of raiment, all their iniquities are caufed to pafs from them; fin is not imputed to them; their iniquities are forgiven, and their fin is covered; and when it is fought for, it fhall not be found; they will never be charged with it, nor will it ever be brought against them to condemnation. Secondly, The death of Chrift for them: it is Chrift that died. That Chrift died is certain; and that he laid down his life for the fheep, for the elect of God, is as certain; and it is plain, from the fcriptures, that he died for their fins, to make atonement and reconciliation for them; and this came to pass through his fubftitution in their room and ftead, by having their fins imputed to him and though his death was but once, it is of an eternal efficacy; and so a full fecurity from all condemnation: for,

1. Sin, the cause of condemnation, is removed by it. Sin was the cause of the condemnation of the angels, and of the old world, and of all mankind in Adam. This is that for which the faints condemn themselves, and one another; and for which the world, Satan, and the law condemn: but this is done away by the death of Chrift; he has removed the iniquity of his people in one day, even as far as the east is from the weft; he has put it away by the facrifice of himfelf; he hath abolished it, he has taken away its damning power from it; yea, he has finished, and made an utter end of it.

2. By dying, Chrift bore the condemnation due to fin: not only the sentence of condemnation paffed upon him, as he was the furety of his people; but it was executed on him and he was not only condemned unanimously by the Jewish fanhedrim, and then by Pontius Pilate the Roman governor, but he was condemned by the juftice of God and God condemned fin in his flesh, finding it upon him, it being imputed to him: for as he was made fin by imputation that the elect might be made the righteoufnels of God in him; fo he was made a curse for them, that be might redeem them from the curfe of the law, which he has effectually done; and confequently there can be no condemnation to them.

3. Through the death of Chrift, the law and juftice of God are fully fatisfied. The law requires holinefs of nature, this it has in the human nature of Christ, which is without fin; and alfo perfect obedience, which it finds in Chrift, who always did the things that pleafed his Father; and in cafe of disobedience, it requires a penalty, and which Chrift, as the furety of his people, has bore by his fufferings and death; and fo the whole righteousness of the law is fulfilled by him for them; which is a full fatisfaction to the justice of God; and therefore there is none that can condemn them.

4. Hereby the pardon of fin is procured: without shedding of blood there is no remiffion; the blood of Chrift has been fhed for the remiffion of fins, and it is obtained by it: God, for Chrift's fake, forgives all trefpaffes; and delivers from going down to the pit, having found a fufficient ranfom-price in the blood of his Son nay, fince the blood of Chrift has been shed for this purpose, it is a point of justice and faithfulness with God to forgive fin, and cleanse from all unrighteousness; and fin being pardoned, there can be no condemnation for it.

5. The compleat juftification of God's people, is brought about by the death of Chrift: juftification is sometimes afcribed to the obedience of Chrift; by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous, Rom v. 19. and fometimes to the blood of Christ, being now justified by his blood, ver. 9. And both are concerned in justification: the one is what is commonly called his active obedience; the other his paffive obedience; and both together, with the holiness of his nature, are imputed for juftification: his righteoufnefs intitles to life; and his blood, his fufferings, and death, fecure from wrath to come; and, therefore, it may well be faid, with a view to Chrift's dying for his people, who is be that condemneth?

Thirdly, The refurrection of Chrift from the dead, is another part of the security of God's elect, from all charges and condemnation, yea, rather that is risen again. That Chrift is rifen, the angels afferted; the apostles were witnesses of it; and fo was the holy Ghoft, being plentifully poured forth on the disciples as an evidence of that, and of his afcenfion to heaven. This is a fundamental article, which he that heartily and experimentally knows the power of, shall be faved, Rom. x. 9. and fhall never enter intó condemnation. For,

1. Christ rose as a conqueror over all his, and his people's enemies: by rifing be abolished death, and brought life and immortality to light; and shewed that he had took away the fting of death, which is fin; and had deftroyed him that has the power of death, which is the devil, and had overcome the world, and now has in his hands the keys of hell and death; and therefore who fhall condemn thofe for whom he died, and rofe again?

2. He

;

2. He rose again as a furety, having satisfied justice: he engaged as a furety for his people from all eternity; God in strict justice, and according to his righteous law, dealt with him as fuch; he awoke the sword of justice against him fatisfaction was demanded of him, and it was given; and both law and justice being fatisfied, Chrift was set free : an angel is sent to roll away the stone from the fepulchre; he is discharged by a divine order; it was not poffible he should be held by the cords of death, both because of the dignity of his person, and the performance of his furetiship engagements; and therefore being rifen and discharged, as the furety of his people, law and juftice, cannot condemn them, nor can any other.

3. He rofe again as a common head and representative, and for the justification of God's elect: he stood charged with all their fins; thefe being laid upon him by his Father, with his own confent, he was condemned for them; and fuffered death on account of them; and when he rose, he was justified in the Spirit; and acquitted from them all; and his people were all justified in him as their public head. Juft as they were crucified with him, and buried with him; so they rofe with him, and were juftified together with him; he was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our juftification, Rom. iv. 25.

4. A rather is put upon Christ's refurrection from the dead, as though it was a greater fecurity from condemnation, than his death; and fo indeed in fome fense it is: Chrift's death expiated fin, finished tranfgreffion, and made an end of it; but his refurrection has brought in the everlafting righteousness for his people his dying, fhewed that he was arrested and condemned; and that the fentence of condemnation was executed on him; but his refurrection, that he is discharged, and they in him: notwithstanding Christ's death, had he not rose again, they would have been in their fins; under the power and guilt of them, and fo liable to condemnation, 1 Cor. xv. 17. But Chrift being rifen, he ap pears without fin, even fin imputed; and fo they are freed from fin, and from condemnation by it in him.

Fourthly, The feffion of Chrift at the right hand of God, adds to the fecurity of the faints from charges and condemnation, who is even at the right hand of God.

1. This includes his afcenfion into heaven, and his entrance there; both which serve to strengthen this point: when he afcended on high, he led captivity captive, or he triumphed over those who had led his people captive, fin, Satan, the law, and every enemy of theirs; and therefore fince these are led captive, who fhall condemn them? yea, he received gifts for men, even for the rebellious alfo; fo that though they have been rebellious, they are graciously regarded, and shall not be condemned. When he entered into heaven, he entered as their forerunner, in their name, to take poffeffion of it, and prepare it

for

for them, and has promised to come again and take them to himself, that they may enjoy it wherefore, it is not poffible that they should be condemned with the world.

2. Chrift being at the right hand of God, fhews, that he has done his work he came about; that he has made atonement for fin, and obtained eternal redemption; and that he has done this to fatisfaction; and therefore is highly exalted by, and at the right hand of God, where he has all power in heaven and in earth; where he is above all; angels, principalities, and powers, being fubject to him; and where he must fit until all enemies are put under his feet: it therefore cannot be in the power of any to condemn those for whom he died: to which may be added, that these are not only raised together with him, but they are made to fit together in heavenly places in him; and must be fecure from condemnation, Ephefians ii. 6.

Fifthly and lastly, The interceffion of Chrift for those whom the Father has chosen, and he has died for, is another branch of their fecurity from charges and condemnation: if he rebukes thofe that bring charges against them, as he does, who dare bring them? and if he is an advocate with the Father for them, as he is, who can condemn them? this part of Chrift's work which he performs in heaven, as a priest upon his throne, is done, not by making vocal prayer, as in the days of his flesh, which does not feem neceffary; nor by fupplicating God, as an angry judge, which is not confiftent with his ftate of exaltation, nor with his having made peace, by the blood of his cross; nor by litigating, or controverting a point, in the court of heaven, though he is a counsellor and an advocate: but by the appearance of his perfon, for his people; by the prefentation of his blood, righteousness, and facrifice for them, which speak for peace, pardon, and atonement; by offering up the prayers and praises of them unto God; by declaring it as his will, that fuch and fuch bleffings be bestowed upon them; and by applying the benefits of his death unto them; and which abundantly fecure them from condemnation. For,

1. It fhould be confidered who he is that intercedes, and what an intereft he has in him with whom he intercedes: he is the Son of God who makes interceffion, who can engage his heart to approach unto him; and who from the relation he stands in to God, muft have an interest in him, and fo have the perfons for whom he intercedes; for he is his God, and their God, his Father, and their Father; wherefore his interceffion cannot fail: and, whereas the confideration of Chrift, the great high priest, that is paffed unto the heavens, being the Son of God, is an argument to hold fast a profeffion of faith, and to come with boldness to the throne of grace, Heb. iv. 14, 16. So it may be improved by faith, as a very strong one against all charges and condemnation taking place on thofe for whom Chrift intercedes.