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believe and repent, Acts iii. 19, "Repent, that your sins may be blotted out." Therefore their sins were uncancelled, and their persons unjustified, till they did repent. Though God doth not justify us for our repentance, yet not without it. The Antinomians erroneously hold, that we are justified from eternity; this doctrine is a key which opens the door to all licentiousness; what sins do they care they commit, so long as they hold they are ab æterno justified whether they repent or not? Before I come to the uses, I shall lay down four maxims or positions about justification.

Position 1. That justification confers a real benefit upon the person justified. The acquitting and discharging of the debtor, by virtue of the satisfaction made by the surety, is a real benefit to the debtor; a robe of righteousness, and a crown of righteousness, are real benefits.

Position 2. All believers are alike justified; justificatio non recipit magis et minus,— though there are degrees in grace, yet not in justification; one is not justified more than another, the weakest believer is as perfectly justified as the strongest. Mary Magdalene is as as much justified as the Virgin Mary. This may be cordial-water to a weak believer: though thou hast but a drachm of faith, thou art as truly justified as he who is of the highest stature in Christ.

king's stamp is put upon it; first the soul is refined with holiness, before God puts the royal stamp of justification upon it.

Position 4. Justification is inamissibilis, it is a fixed permanent thing, it can never be lost. The Arminians hold an apostacy from justification: to-day justified, to-morrow unjustified; to-day a Peter, to-morrow a Judas; to-day a member of Christ, to-morrow a limb of Satan; a most uncomfortable doctrine. Indeed justified persons may fall from degrees of grace, they may leave their first love,-they may lose God's favour for a time, but not lose their justification. If they are justified then they are elected; they can no more fall from their justification than from their election. If they are justified, then they have union with Christ: and can a member of Christ be broken off? If one justified person may fall away from Christ, they all may, and so Christ should be a head without a body.

Use 1st. See from hence that there is nothing within us could justify us but something without us; not any righteousness inherent, but imputed; we may as well look for a star in the earth as for justification in our own righteousness. The papists say we are justified by works. But the apostle confutes it, "not of works, lest any man should boast," Eph. ii. 9. But the papists say "the works done by an unregenerate man indeed cannot justify him, but works done by a regenerate man may justify." This is most false, as may be proved both by example and reason.

1. By example. Abraham was a regenerate man, but Abraham was not justified by works, but by faith, Rom. iv. 3, Abraham "believed God, and it was counted to him for

Position 3. Whosoever God justifies, he sanctifies, 1 Cor. vi. 11, "But ye are sanctified, but ye are justified." The papists calumniate the protestants; they report, we hold that men continuing in sin are justified; whereas all our protestant writers affirm, that righteousness imputed, viz. Justification, -and righteousness inherent, viz. Sanctifi- righteousness." cation, must be inseparably united. Holiness indeed is not the cause of our justification, but it is the concomitant; the heat in the sun is not the cause of its light, but it is the concomitant. It is absurd to imagine that God should justify a people, and they go on in sin. If God should justify a people and not sanctify them, he should justify a people whom he could not glorify. God, as he is a holy God, cannot lay a sinner in his bosom. The metal is first refined, before the

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2. By reason. How can those works justify us, which defile us? Isa. lxiv. 6, "Our righteousness are as filthy rags." Bona opera non præcedunt justificationem, sed sequuntur justificatum,—good works are not an usher to go before justification, but a handmaid to follow it.

Oвs. But doth not the apostle James say Abraham was justified by works?

A. The answer is easy: works declare us to be righteous before men, but they do not

make us righteous before God. Works are evidences of our justification, not causes. This name only must be graven upon the golden plate of our high priest Christ, THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS.

brought into favour with his prince, before he can be restored to his former rights and liberties: so, we must first have our sins forgiven and be brought into God's favour by justification, before we can be restored to the liberty of the sons of God, and have right to that happiness we forfeited in Adam.

2. The utility and benefit: by justification we enjoy peace in our conscience,-a richer jewel than any prince wears in his crown: Rom. v. 1., “Being justified by faith, we have peace with God." Peace can sweeten all our afflictions, it turns our water into wine. How happy is a justified person who hath the power of God to guard him, and the peace of God to comfort him! Peace flowing from justification, is an antidote against the fear of death and hell, Rom. viii. 33, "It is God that justifies, who is he that condemneth?" Therefore labour for this justification by Christ. This privi

Use 2d. Of exhortation. Branch 1. Adore the infinite wisdom and goodness of God, to find out such a way to justify us by "rich grace and precious blood." We were all involved in guilt; none of us could plead, not | guilty, and being guilty, we lay under a sentence of death; now that the judge himself should find out a way to justify us, and the creditor himself contrive a way to have the debt paid and not distress the debtor, this may fill us with wonder and love. The angels admire the mystery of free grace in this new way of justifying and saving lost man, 1 Pet. i. 12, and should not we, who are nearly concerned in it, and on whom the benefit is devolved, cry out with the apostle, "O the depth of the riches both of the wis-lege is obtained by believing in Christ, Acts dom and knowledge of God!" &c.

xiii. 39, "By him all that believe are justified." And Rom. iii. 25, "Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood." Faith unites us to Christ; and having union with his person, we partake of his merits, and the glorious salvation which comes by him.

Branch 2. Labour for this high privilege of justification. There is balm in Gilead; Christ hath laid down the price of our justification, viz. his blood; and he offers himself and all his merits to us, to justify; he invites us to come to him; he hath promised to give his Spirit, to enable us to do what is required. Use 3d. Comfort to the justified. 1. It is Why then, sinners, will ye not look after this comfort in case of failings. Alas! how degreat privilege of justification? Do not fective are the godly. They come short in starve in the midst of plenty; do not perish every duty; but though believers should be when there is remedy to save you. Would humbled under their defects, yet not denot he be thought to be distracted, who hav-spond; they are not to be justified by their ing a pardon offered him, only upon the ac- duties or graces, but the righteousness of knowledgement of his fault, and promising | Christ. amendment, should bid the prince keep his pardon to himself; for his part, he was in love with his chains and fetters, and would die? Thou who neglectest justification of fered thee freely by Christ in the gospel, art this distracted person. Is the love of Christ to be slighted? Is thy soul and heaven worth nothing? O then look after justification through Christ's blood!

Their duties are mixed with sin, but that righteousness which justifies them is a perfect righteousness.-2. Comfort in case of hard censures; the world censures the people of God as proud and hypocritical, and the troublers of Israel; but though men censure and condemn the godly, yet God hath justified them; and as he hath now justified them, so at the day of judgment he will openly justify them, and pro

Consider, 1. The necessity of being jus-nounce them righteous before men and antified. If we are not justified, we cannot be gels. And God is so just and holy a judge, glorified, Rom. viii. 30, "Whom he justified, that having once justified his people, he them he also glorified." He who is out-will never condemn them. Pilate justified lawed, and all his goods confiscated, must be Christ, "I find no fault in him," yet after

this he condemned him; but God having condemn them: "whom he justified, them he publicly justified his saints, he will never also glorified."

OF ADOPTION.

JOHN i. 12. To them he gave power to become the sons of God.

HAVING spoken of the great points of faith | females as well as males, 2 Cor. vi. 18, "I and justification, the next is adoption.

1. The qualification of the persons: "as many as received him." Receiving is put for believing, as is clear by the last words, "to them that believe in his name."

2. The specification of the privileges: "to them he gave power to become the sons of God." The Greek word for power, exusia, signifies dignity and prerogative; he dignified them to become the sons of God.

Our sonship differs from Christ's sonship; Christ was the Son of God by eternal generation,-a Son before time, but our sonship is, 1. By creation, Acts xvii. 28, "We are his offspring." This is no privilege; men may have God for their Father by creation, yet have the devil for their father.-2. Our sonship is by adoption; so in the text, "He gave them power to become the sons of God." Adoption is twofold.

1. External and federal: so those who live in a visible church, and make a profession of God, are sons, Matt. viii. 12, "The children of the kingdom shall be cast out."

2. Real and gracious: so they are sons, who are God's favourites, and are heirs of glory. Before I proceed to the questions, I shall lay down three positions.

will be a father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters." I have read that in some countries, females are excluded from the supreme dignity, as by the Salique law in France no woman can inherit a crown: but if we speak of spiritual privileges, females are as capable as males. Every gracious soul, of whatever sex, lays claim to adoption, and hath an interest in God as a father; "ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty."

Position 3. Adoption is an act of pure grace, Eph. i. 5, "Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children, according to the good pleasure of his will." Adoption is a mercy spun out of the bowels of free grace; all by nature are strangers, therefore have no right to sonship, only God is pleased to adopt one, and not another, to make one a vessel of glory, another a vessel of wrath. The adopted heir may cry out, "Lord, how is it, that thou wilt show thyself to me, and not unto the world?"

QUEST. What this filiation or adoption is? ANS. Adoption is the taking a stranger into the relation of a son and heir: so Moses was the adopted son of king Pharaoh's daughter, Exod. ii. 10; and Esther was the adopted child of her uncle Mordecai, Esth. ii. 7. Thus God adopts us into the family of heaven; and God, in adopting us, doth two things:

1. He ennobles us with his name: he who is adopted, bears his name who adopts him, Rev. iii. 12, "I will write on him the name of my God."

Position 1. Adoption takes in all nations: at first adoption was confined to the people of the Jews, they only were grafted into the true olive, and were dignified with glorious privileges, Rom. ix. 4, “ Who are Israelites, to whom pertaineth the adoption and the glory." But now, in the time of the gospel, the charter is enlarged, and the believing 2. God consecrates us with his Spirit; Gentiles are within the line of communica-whom he adopts, he anoints; whom he makes tion and have a right to the privileges of adop-sons, he makes saints. When a man adopts tion as well as the Jews, Acts x. 35, "In every another for his son and heir, he may put his nation he that feareth God, and worketh righteousness, is accepted with him.”

Position 2. Adoption takes in both sexes,

name upon him, but he cannot put his disposition into him; if he be of a morose rugged nature, he cannot alter it, but whom God

adopts he sanctifies; he doth not only give them a new name but a new nature, 2 Pet. i. 4. God turns the wolf into a lamb; he makes the heart humble and gracious; he works such a change as if another soul did dwell in

the same body.

coat of arms displayed: but what is honour without inheritance? God adopts all his sons to an inheritance, Luke xii. 32, "It is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom." It is no disparagement to be the sons of God. To reproach the

QUEST. From what state doth God take saints, is as if Shimei had reproached David us when he adopts us?

when he was going to be made king; adopttion ends in coronation. The kingdom God gives his adopted sons and heirs, excels all

ANS. From a state of sin and misery. King Pharaoh's daughter took Moses out of the ark of bulrushes in the water, and adopt-earthly monarchies. ed him for her son. God did not take us out of the water, but out of our blood, and adopted us, Ezek. xvi. God adopted us from slavery; it is a mercy to redeem a slave, but it is more to adopt him.

1. In riches, Rev. xxi. 21. The gates are of pearl, and the streets of pure gold, and as it were transparent glass.

2. In tranquillity. It is peaceable; the white lily of peace is the best flower in a prince's crown,—Pax una triumphis innu

QUEST. To what God adopts us? ANS. He adopts us to a state of excellen-meris melior. No divisions at home, or incy. It were much for God to take a clod of dust and make it a star; it is more for God to take a piece of clay and sin and adopt it for his heir.

1st. God adopts us to a state of liberty. Adoption is a state of freedom; a slave being adopted, is made a free man, Gal. iv. 7, "Thou art no more a servant, but a son."

QUEST. How is an adopted son free? ANS. 1. Not to do what he lists: he is free from the dominion of sin, the tyranny of Satan, the curse of the law.

A. 2. He is free in the manner of worship; he hath God's free Spirit, which makes him free and cheerful in the service of God; he is "joyful in the house of prayer," Isa. lvi. 7.

2d. God adopts us to a state of dignity. God makes us heirs of promise; God installs us into honour, Isa. xliii. 4, "Since thou wast precious in my sight, thou hast been honourable." The adopted are God's treasure, Exod. xix. 5; his jewels, Mal. iii. 17; his first-born, Heb. xii. 23; they have angels for their life-guard, Heb. i. 14; they are of the blood royal of heaven, 1 John iii. 9. The scripture hath set forth their spiritual heraldry; they have their escutcheon or coat-armour; sometimes they give the lion for their courage, Prov. xxviii. 1; sometimes the dove for their meekness, Cant. ii. 14; sometimes the eagle for their sublimeness, Isa. xl. 31. Thus you see their

vasions abroad; no more the noise of the drum or cannon, but the voice of harpers harping, the hieroglyphic of peace, Rev. xiv. 2.

3. In stability. Other kingdoms are corruptible; though they have heads of gold, yet feet of clay; but this kingdom, into which the saints are adopted, runs parallel with eternity; it is "a kingdom that cannot be moved," Heb. xii. 28. The heirs of heaven reign for ever and ever, Rev. xxii. 5.

QUEST. What is the organical or instru mental cause of adoption?

Be

ANS. Faith interests us in the privilege of adoption, Gal. iii. 26, "Ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus." fore faith be wrought, we are spiritually illegitimate, we have no relation to God as a father; an unbeliever may call God judge, but not father; faith is the filiating grace, it confers upon us the title of sonship, and gives us right to inherit.

QUEST. Why is faith the instrument of adoption more than any other grace?

ANS. 1. Faith is a quickening grace, it is the vital artery of the soul, Heb. ii. 4, “The just shall live by his faith." Life makes us capable of adoption, dead children are never adopted.

A. 2. Faith makes us Christ's brethren, and so God comes to be our father.

Use 1st. Branch 1. See the amazing love of God in making us his sons. Plato gave God thanks that he had made him a

man, and not only a man but a philosopher: should be at all this expense to bring this but it is infinitely more that he should invest work about. us with the prerogative of sons. It is love in God to feed us, but more to adopt us, 1 John iii. 1, "Behold what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God!" It is an ecce admirantis,—a behold of wonder. The wonder of God's love in adopting us, will appear the more if we consider these six things.

1. That God should adopt us when he had a Son of his own. Men adopt because they want children, and desire to have some to bear their name but that God should adopt us when he had a son of his own, the Lord Jesus, here is the wonder of love. Christ is called "God's dear Son," Col. i. 13; a Son more worthy than the angels, Heb. i. 4, "Being made so much better than the angels." Now, when God had a Son of his own, such a Son,-here is the wonder of God's love in adopting us. We needed a Father, but he did not need sons. 2. Consider what we were before God did adopt us; we were very deformed; a man will scarce adopt him for his heir that is crooked and ill-favoured, but that hath some beauty. Mordecai adopted Esther, because she was fair. But we were in our blood, and then God adopted us, Ezek. xvi. 6, "When I saw thee polluted in thy blood, it was the time of love." God did not adopt us when we were bespangled with the jewels of holiness, and had the angels' glory upon us; but when we were black as Ethiopians, diseased as lepers, then it was the time of love.

3. That God should be at so great expense in adopting us: when men adopt, they have only some deed sealed, and the thing is effected; but when God adopts, it puts him to a far greater expense, it sets his wisdom a-work to find out a way to adopt us; it was no easy thing to make the heirs of wrath, heirs of the promise. And when God had found out a way to adopt, it was no easy way; our adoption was purchased at a dear rate; when God was about to make us sons and heirs, he could not seal the deed but by the blood of his own Son. Here is the wonder of God's love in adopting us, that he

4. That God should adopt his enemies; if a man adopts another for his heir, he will not adopt his mortal enemy, but that God should adopt us, when we were not only strangers, but enemies,-here is the wonder of love; for God to have pardoned his enemies, had been much, but to adopt them for his heirs, this sets the angels in heaven a wondering.

5. That God should take great numbers out of the devil's family, and adopt them into the family of heaven. Christ is said to bring many sons to glory, Heb. ii. 10. Men adopt usually but one heir, but God is resolved to increase his family, he brings many sons to glory. God's adopting millions, is the wonder of love. Had but one been adopted, all of us might have despaired; but he brings many sons to glory, this opens a door of hope to us. 6. That God should confer so great honour upon us in adopting us. David thought it no small honour that he should be a king's son-in-law, 1 Sam. xviii. 18. But what honour to be the sons of the high God! And the more honour God hath put upon us in adopting us, the more he hath magnified his love towards us. What honour that God hath made us so near in alliance to him,— sons of God the Father,-members of God the Son,-temples of God the Holy Ghost! That he hath made us as the angels, Matt. xxii. 30; nay, in some sense, superior to the angels; all this proclaims the wonder of God's love in adopting us.

Branch 2. See the sad condition of such as live and die in unbelief. They are not the sons of God: "To as many as received him, he gave power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe in his name." No faith, no sonship; unbelievers have no sign of sonship, they know not God; all God's children know their Father, but the wicked do not know him, Jer. ix. 3. “They proceed from evil to evil, and know not me, saith the Lord." Unbelievers are “dead in trespasses," Eph. ii. 1. God hath no dead children; and not being children, they have no right to inherit.

Use 2d. Of trial. Try whether we are adopted. All the world is divided into these

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