And fatisfy'd himself for me, He to the law, though Lord of it, But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory, through our Lord Jefus Chrift. 9 Zech xiN. 7. See letter g. Rom. ix. 5. Chrift is over all, God bleffed for ever. Phil. iii. 6, 7, 8. Chrift Jefus being in the form of God, thought it no robbery to be equal with God: but made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a fervant, and was made in the likeness of men : and being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. r Ibid. Gal. iv. 4, f. But when the fulness of the time was come, God fent forth his Son made of a woman, made under the law, to redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of fons. Pet. iii. 18. See letter 1.2 Cor. v. 21. See letter m. I John iv. 9. In this was manifefted the love of God towards us, becaufe that God fent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him. s Rom. viii. 3, 4. For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh; God did, fending his own Son, in the likeness of finful flesh, and for fin condemned fio in the Aefh; that the righteoufnefs of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. t Ifa. xlii. 21. The Lord is well pleafed for his righteoufnefs fake; he will magnify the law, and make it honourable. Rom v. 18,-21. Therefore as by the offence of one, judgment came upon all men to condemnation: even fo by the righteoufnefs of one, the free gift came upon all men unto juftification of life. For, as by one mans difobedience many were made finners: fo by the obedience of one fhall many be Hence though the law condemn at large, My Judge condemns me not, I grant ; From him I have a pardon got, made righteous. Moreover, the law entered, that the offence might abound; but where fin abounded, grace did much more abound: that as fin hath reigned unto death, even fo might, grace reign through righteoufnefs unto eternal life, by Jefus Christ our Lord. u Rom. viii. 1. There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Chrift Jefus. v. 3, 4. See letter s. v. 33. 34 Who fhall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect? It is God that juftifieth: who is he that condemneth? It is Chrift that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who alfo maketh interceffion for us. v Job xxxiii. 24. Then he is gracious unto him, and faith, Deliver him from going down to the pit, I have found a ran fom. Rom. iii. 25, 26. Whom God hath fet forth to be a propitiation, through faith in his blood, to declare his righte oufnefs for the remiffion of fins that are past, through the for bearance of God; tò declare, I say, at this time his righteous ness; that he might be juft and the juftifier of him which be lieveth in Jefus. w 2 Sam. xii. 13. And David faid unto Nathan, I have fin. ned against the Lord. And Nathan faid unto David, The Lord alfo hath put away thy fin, thou shalt not, die. Pfalm li. 2,3. Wash me thoroughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my fin. For I acknowledge my tranfgreffions, and my fin is ever before me. Rom. viii. 1, 33. See letter u. Job ix. 20. If I justify myself, mine own mouth fhall condemn me; if I fay I am per. fect, it fhall alfo prove me perverse. y 2 Cor. vii. 11. For behold, this felf-fame thing that ye His rich forgiveness still I have, forrowed after a godly fort, what carefulness it wrought in you, yea, what clearing of yourfelves, yea, what indignation, yea, what fear, yea, what vehement defire, yea, what zeal, yea, what revenge? z Ifa. xxxviii. 5. What fhall I fay? he hath both spoken unto me, and himself hath done it: I fhall go foftly all myyears in the bitterness of my fout. a. Ezek. xvi. 63. That thou mayest remember and be confounded, and never open thy mouth any more because of thy fhame, when I am pacified toward thee, for all that thou haft done, faith the Lord God. tell b Luke xviii. 13, 14. And the publican standing afar off, would not lift up fo much as his eyes, unto heaven, but smote upon his breaft, faying, God be merciful to me a faner. I you, this man went down to his houfe juftified rather than the other for every one that exalteth himself, shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself, shall be exalted. Ezek. xxxvi. 31, 32. Then fhall ye remember your own evil ways, and your doings that were not good, and fhall loath yourselves in your own fight, for your iniquities, and for your abomina tions. Not for your fakes do 1 this, faith the Lord God, be it known unto you; be afhamed and confounded for your own ways, O houfe of Ifrael. Jer. xxxi. 19. Surely after that I was turned, L repented; and after that I was inftructed, I fmote upon my thigh: I was afhamed, yea, even confounded, because I did bear the reproach of my youth. c Matth. xxv. 34-39. Then fhall the King fay unto them on his right hand, Come, ye bleffed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, Yet ftill I to his judgment 'gree, And clear him for abfolving me d. ye and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in : naked, and ye cloathed me I was fick, and vifited me: I was in prifon, and ye came unto me. Then fhall the righte ous anfwer him, faying, Lord, when faw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink? When saw we thee a ftranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee ? Or when faw we thee fick, or in prifon, and we came unto thee: Cor xi. 31. If we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged. Luke xv. 20, 21. And he [the prodigal fon] arofe and came to his father. But when he was yet a great way off, his father faw him, and had compaffion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kiffed him. And the fon faid unto him, Father, I have finned against heaven, and in thy fight, and am no more worthy to be called thy fon. Gen. xxxii. 9, 10. And Jacob faid, O God of my father Abraham, and God of my father Ifaac, the Lord which faidft unto me, Return untó thy country, and to thy kindred, and I will deal well with thee: I am not worthy of the leaft of all the mercies, and of all the truth, which thou haft fhewed unto thy fervant; for with my staff I paffed over this Jordan, and now I am become two bands. d Pfalm li 4. Against thee, thee only have I finned, and done this evil in thy fight: that thou mightest be justified when thou fpeakeft, and be clear when thou judgelt. And xi 7. The righteous Lord loveth righteoufnefs, his countenance doth behold the upright. And cxlv. 16, 17. Thou openest thine hand, and fatisfieft the defire of every living thing. The Lord is righteous in all his ways, and holy in all his works. Rev. xv. 3. And they fing the fong of Mofes the fervant of God, and the fong of the Lamb, faying, Great and marvellous are thy works, Lord God Almighty, just and true are thy ways, thou King of faints. e Rom. iii 26. To declare, I fay, at this time his righte oufness that he might be just and the juftifier of him which believeth in Jefus. Ifa xiv 21. There is no God eife befide me, a just God and Saviour. v. 24. Surely fhall one fay, In the Lord have I righteoufnefs and ftrength. Chap Ixiii. 1. Who is this that cometh from Edom, with dyed garments Let him condemn or juftify, SECT. VIII. The mystery of fanctification imperfect in this life; or the believer doing all, and doing nothing.. INE arms embrace my God a, yet I MTN Had never arms to reach fo high b ; from Bozrah? This that is glorious in his apparel, travelling in the greatness of his ftrength? I that fpeak in righteoufnefs, mighty to fave. Zech ix. 9. Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; shout, O daughter of Jerufalem: behold, thy King cometh unto thee; he is just, and having falvation, &c. ƒ Job xxv 4, 5, 6. How then can man be justified with God? or, how can he be clean that is born of a woman? Behold even to the moon, and it shineth not; yea, the stars are not pure in his fight. How much lefs man that is a worm: and the fon of man which is a worm? Pfal. lxxxix. 14. Juftice and judgment are the habitation of thy throne: mercy and truth fhall go before thy face. And xcvii. 2. Clouds and darknefs are round about him: righteoufnefs and judgment are the habitation of his throne. Rom. iii. 19, 20. Now we know that what things foever the law faith, it faith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God. Therefore, by the deeds of the law, there shall no flesh be juftified in his fight : for by the law in the knowledge of fin. v. 23, 24, 25. For all have finned, and come short of the glory of God; being juf tified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Je fus Chrift: Whom God hath fet forth to be a propitiation, through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remiffton of fins that are paft, through the forbearance of God: Pfal. xxii. 2, 3. O my God, I cry in the day time, but thou hearelt not; and in the night-feafon, and am not fi lent. But thou art holy, O thou that inhabitest the praises of Ifrael. a Song iii. 4. It was but a little that I paffed from them, but I found him whom my foul loveth; I held him, and would not let him go, until I had brought him into my mother's |