gave his only begotten Son that WHOSOEVER BELIEVETH in him should not perish, but have eternal life: From which words it plainly appears, that CHRIST was given, and laid down bis life only for them that believe, and are faved. How Can we fuppofe that CHRIST's blood was fhed for them which believe not, and perifh everlaftingly; without charging GOD with folly? If he was made a curfe for them that are loft; he laboured in vain, and spent his ftrength for nought. I RECKON therefore that the fufferings of CHRIST were for thofe of mankind whom God had chofen in CHRIST unto eternal life, before the world began: That, for their fakes, he was fent into this world; died for their fins; was raised again for their justification; and ever lives at GoD's right hand, to make continual interceffion for them.That these alfo, in due time, are called of God into the knowledge and fellowship of his Son JESUS CHRIST, whofe fheep they are, and be their fhepherd: That they obey the call of GOD, know their Shepherd's voice, and follow it. Therefore GOD'S Elect, for whom CHRIST died, believe on his name; and they that follow the LAMB are called, and chofen and faithful: Wherefore he faith, All that the Father giveth me fhall come to me, and whofe cometh unto me I will in no wife caft out: neither do H.2 * John x. 27. they they ever depart from the faith, but persevere unto the end, being kept by the power of God thro' faith into falvation. WHOSOEVER hearing the Gospel, believes it not; and he that after believing, tranfgreffeth, and abideth not in the doctrine of CHRIST, but departeth. from the faith, cannot be faved; and is therefore none of those whom the FATHER hath given him, and for whom CHRIST died.For thofe, faith he, whom thou hast given me, I have kept. And again, he prays, Holy Father, keep thro' thine own name thofe whom thou hast given me*: he adds, For their fakes I fanctify myself, that they also might be fanctified thro' the Truth.-Thefe then are his sheep, for whom the good Shepherd laid down his life, and took it up again; for which cause it is given them on the behalf of CHRIST to believe on bis name; and, that they might endure unto the end, and be faved, they are kept from falling both by the FATHER and the SoN: And these are the many spoken of in the Text, who by the obedience of CHRIST fhall be made righteous. FOR each then, and every one of these, Chrift obeyed the law, and endured its curfe; that they all might be juftified, and faved from wrath thro' him. • John xvii. 11. And And when they are called for not one of them shall be lacking, nor can they ever perish. In the day of CHRIST, when he shall make up his jewels, he fhall prefent himself with the whole and complete number of his redeemed Church; and fay, Behold 1 and the children which God hath given me*. -And, even in this world, they are made manifeft thro' faith and love, according to godliness: for whosoever believeth that Jefus is the Chrift, and loveth his brother, is born of God, and knoweth Godt. Thus CHRIST is the end of the Law for righteoufnefs to every, one that believeth; who, being born of the Spirit, are taught of GOD to love one another. 4thly, I proceed to fhew how, or in what manner, we are made righteous by CHRIST's obedience. Is it by infufion, or by imputation? I answer, by imputation. This the Apostle fhews at large in his epiftle to the Romans, chapter iv. The obedience of CHRIST is not the moral rectitude or holiness of his nature; for this the firft Adam partook of, and was created with, as well as the fecond: but CHRIST's obedience is his entire keeping the commandments of that law which Adam broke, and fuffering its penalty for our of fences. Therefore this personal doing and suffering * Ifa. viii, 18. H 3 + 1 John iii. 7. ing of CHRIST, being his own act and deed, cannot be any other's, fave by imputation only; even as Adam's perfonal offence, or difobedience, becomes our's by its being imputed to us. INDEED the holiness of CHRIST's nature (for in him was no fin) follows after, or accompanies his righteousness wherever it comes, and to whomfoever it is imputed; even as Adam's corrupt and depraved nature attends his imputed offence. Now imputation is the placing to one man's account what is done by another; as when a bondfman or furety pays another's debt, which he had not contracted, his payment is confidered as the very act and deed of the principal. Thus CHRIST became our bondsman and furety to pay our debts which he had not contracted as he faith in the Pfalms, Then I reftcred that I took not away *: and again, the reproaches of them that reproached thee fell on me t. Now, as our fins were laid upon CHRIST which he never committed, and he, thro' the fuffering of death, put them away by the facrifice of himfelf: CHRIST's very act and deed muft needs be accounted our's; that is, as he died for our fins, the fatisfaction made thereby must be placed to * Pfal. Ixix. 4. † Pfal. 1xix. ix. our our account. Thus CHRIST fuffered, the juft for the unjust. AS CHRIST then flood engaged for all his people, the law demanded of him fatisfaction for all their fins, and had it. He was arrefted, imprisoned, and tormented on the crofs, until the whole was finished ; and then, having paid the very last mite, be bowed his head, and gave up the ghost. Thus was CHRIST made fin for us who knew no fin, that we might be made the righteousness of God in bim*. › It is therefore impoffible that we should be partakers of the benefits of CHRIST's redemption, or obtain an inheritance in the Kingdom of GOD, without having CHRIST's righteousness first imputed to us: No man can be accepted of GOD without it, nor can any inherent holiness or personal righte ousness of our own justify us in his fight; for by the obedience of ONE fball MANY be made righ teous. As Adam's perfonal offence, (exclufive of what we have fince done in our own persons) hath subjected us to a corruption of nature, and the wrath of Godt: fo what CHRIST hath personally done and fuffered (exclufive of any will or work of ours) is that which merits and procures for us accep • 2 Cor. v, 21. + Eph. ii. 3. tance |