A discourse of the Resurrection shewing the import and certainty of it / by William Wilson.

SECT. I.

1. I shall consider what Justification means. But I shall not here concern my self to give an account of the several Acceptations of this word among other Writers, but only to state its proper signification, as it is a principal

Doctrine of the Christian Faith; and what that peculiar Privilege is, which St. Paul, who does mainly and more fully insist upon it in his Writings, than any other of the Sacred Writers intendeth by it. And for the better understanding it, we must consider, that it is a Juridical Term, and is properly the Act of a Judge, and has a respect to his Sentence. And accordingly in Scripture it sometimes sig∣nifies to do Justice in general, whether by ac∣quitting or condemning a person, that stands charged with a Crime according to the true and strict Merits of his Cause. In which sense the Prophet Isaiah useth it, chap. 43.9. Let all the Nations be gather'd together, and let the People be assembled; i.e. Call a Court, and let them bring forth their Witnesses, that they may be justified; i.e. that Justice may be done them. In other places it signifies the ac∣quitting or discharging an accused person from the Punishment, that the Law threatens the Crime with, that he is charged with. This Justification or acquitting an accused person is either Legal, according to the Rules of strict Justice, or it is of Favour and Grace. The for∣mer is the acquitting and Innocent person, or the declaring him, who has stood his Tryal, not to be guilty of the Crime charged upon him. In which sense it is taken in the follow∣ing Texts, Deut. 25. If there he a Controversie between Men, and they come into Judgment, that the Judges may Judge them; then they shall justi∣fie

the Righteous, and condemn the Wicked; i.e. They shall proceed according to strict Justice, and give Sentence according to Right; the same Sentence as the Law gives in the Case, with∣out any partial respects to the Persons, whose Cause is before them: He that justifieth the Wicked, and condemneth the Just, even they both are an Abomination to the Lord, Prov. 17.15.

The latter is the dispensing with the Rigour of the Law, and remitting the Punishment, that a guilty person has deserved, in favour, or in respect to the Mediation of an acceptable person. And of this nature is that Justifica∣tion, which St. Paul speaks so frequently of; and which the Christian Religion, which is a Law of Grace, does make known to the World. For if God's justifying us did mean no more than his declaring those to be Just, who Le∣gally are so, there would be no standing before him: If thou, Lord, should'st mark iniquity, O Lord, who shall stand? Psal. 130.3. There would be no escaping from Death, when once it has laid hold upon us, if there was not for∣giveness with God: for he that transgresses a Law, that threatens Death, must die by that Law, unless Mercy interposes. The Law, that condemns him, does for ever determine of his Condition: And it is not possible that such a person should be Justified but by a Pardon. When therefore God justifies a Sinner, he does not Pass the same Sentence upon him as the

Law, he has transgressed, does: For then there could be no such thing as Justification at all in our Circumstances. For whom the Law condemns, God must do so too, if his Judg∣ment be Legal. But when he justifies a Sin∣ner, he justifies him, whom the Law con∣demns. And when he does this, it must be by remitting the Severity of the Law, and sparing the Life of the Offender out of mere Grace and Mercy.

And of this nature is the Justification, that the Gospel speaks of; only with this difference, That it does not only respect us as Sinners, such as by Transgressing the Divine Law have deserved to die, but such as for our Disobedi∣ence are already condemned to die. So that it is God's Act of Mercy towards Adam's con∣demn'd Race, whereby through the Mediation of his Son he is pleas'd to remit the Sentence of Death, that in Adam we are fall'n under; and to restore us to a state of Probationership for Immortality and Glory. For my part, I know of no other Justification, that the Gospel, which is designed to be a Remedy to the Mis∣chief, that by the first Transgression is come upon us, speaks of as a Blessing we are already possess'd of, but this of acquitting us so far from the Sentence that is already pass'd upon us; that we shall not die Eternally, because we are already condemn'd to die, but shall assuredly live again.

I know indeed, that in our Gospel-state we stand in need of Mercy for innumerable Sins, that we are daily guilty of; and for all the Sins, that we do commit, the Gospel does as∣sure us of Pardon upon our sincere Repentance; i.e. that God will justifie us. But it is not upon account of this Mercy, that we are in a justified state, but of that favour alone, that has remitted Adam's fault to us, and assures us of a Resurrection to Life again. But after this we must expect to undergo another Trial, whether we deserve the Forgiveness, that is with God; i.e. Whether our Repentance for our own Sins, and our Endeavours to do the Will of God in our Gospel; i.e. Our justify∣ing state have been so sincere, that he will ac∣cept of it. And this will be, when the Author of our Religion shall come to try, whether we deserve the Life, that he will raise us to. Then he will justifie all his sincere Followers; but his Justifying at that day means his accepting and approving of the sincerity of our Faith and Repentance according to the very Terms of the Law of Mercy, that he has given us to live by. But then this supposes, that we are in a justified state, as we are discharged from the Eternity of the Punishment, that Adam's Transgression has exposed us to, otherwise we could not rise again, nor would there be any need of a second Judgment to be pass'd upon us. By being thus justified, our Gracious Re∣deemer puts us into the state of Probationers

for Immortality. So that so long as we are in this World, we are in our state of Trial, whether we will chuse Life or Death; not in such a justified state, that we may assuredly say of our selves, that we shall undoubtedly be glorified. For thus we shall not be justified, till our Lord comes the second time to try, what use we have made of that Mercy, that set Life and Immortality before us. But for the clearing this matter, I shall observe,

1. That our Justification is a delivering us from a state of Condemnation. For nothing is more plain in the Holy Scriptures, than that it does suppose a Judgment to be already pass'd upon us; and that we are in a condemn'd con∣dition. For it is that Mercy whereby we are discharged from some punishment, which we have deserved and are adjudged to. It is not God's declaring our Innocency, or a Legal ad∣judging us to an Immortal state; because the Law, whereby we should have been thus Justi∣fied is Transgress'd, and we are condemned to die for that Transgression. Thus indeed Adam would have been Justified; for if he had not sinned, he would not have deserved to die; and if he had not merited Death, according to the Law of entire Nature, by which he was to live, he must have lived an Immortal life; i.e. He would have been made Immortal, with∣out being justified from Death, as now we must. In this case there would have been no need of Mercy to assure Immortality to him,

that had no Crime for Mercy to pardon, nor no Punishment for Grace to save him from.

But the case is not thus with us: For the Scripture saith he has concluded all under sin, Gal. 3.22. i.e. He has already given Judg∣ment upon us, and therefore his Justifying us cannot be by declaring us Righteous according to the Law of Integrity; but by acquitting us of the sin, he has concluded us under. And what other Judgment is it, that the Apostle has a respect to in this Expression, but that which he gave upon Adam, when for his Dis∣obedience he condemn'd him to die. God, 'tis true, does in a secret and invisible way go∣vern and judge the World in all Ages of it. He hurls contempt upon Princes; he humbles the proud, and makes a Land barren for the wick∣edness of those, that dwell therein. And when he does any thing of this nature, he concludes that sinfull People under their own Sins, whom he punishes for their Wickedness. But yet these and such-like Calamities, though they are the Judgments of God, and argue him to have pass'd a doom upon such a People: Yet it is secret, and does not determine of Men's state and condition any further than as to the Temporal comforts of this life. But the sin, that the Scripture tells us, we are concluded under, does respect all Men, and the Judgment it speaks of, had finally determin'd of our state, had not Mercy interposed. And of this na∣ture was the Sentence, that God pass'd upon

Adam: For his Judging him was of the same nature, as the great Judgment at the End of the World will be. It was open, and by way of Process and Accusation. Adam was cited, charged, admitted to plead for himself, and at last convicted and condemned. And this Sen∣tence did determine of the final condition of Mankind appointing him and his Posterity ir∣revocably to Death. So that he had died im∣mediately, and this Wrath of God would have lain upon us for ever, had not the Divine Mer∣cy contrived a means to justifie and save us. And since it is by vertue of that Sentence, we all die, we are concluded under the guilt of Adam's sin: i.e. We know our Doom, and what we are to expect upon the account of that corrupt and mortal Nature, that we re∣ceive from him.

If then Justification be from some punish∣ment, that we are already condemned to suf∣fer, it must be from this of Dying; because no other Sentence is as yet pass'd upon us. And unless we be discharged from this, it is in vain that we have a new Law given unto us: For we are not capable of Immortality till we are pardon'd the fault for which we are condemned; and no Man can qualifie himself for a Blessing, that he is not capable of. This is the account of Justification, that St. Paul gives us, when he opposes it to Condemna∣tion, and makes it to consist in the Abolishing of Death: Forasmuch as the Children are par∣takers

of flesh and blood, he also himself took part of the same, that through Death he might destroy him, that had the power of Death, that is, the Devil; and deliver them that through fear of Death were all their life-time suject un∣to bondage, Heb. 2.14, 15. i.e. The reason of Christ's Incarnation and Death was, that he might bear our Punishment, and set our Minds at rest, which upon the account of that Sen∣tence, that doom'd us to die, are full of Anxie∣ty and Trouble at the thoughts of losing a Life, that we are so fond of. He under-went all that we account an Evil in Death; His Bo∣dy was turn'd to a Carcase, and his Soul went to Hell, or the place whither Death transports our Souls, that state where the Devil designed when he robb'd us of our Immortality, to e∣rect a Tyranny over the Souls of Men; where having vanquish'd that wicked Spirit, he re∣turn'd triumphant with the spoils of our Ene∣my to his Body again: And therefore, as St. Paul saith, there is no condemnation to those that are in Christ Jesus, Rom. 8.1. In which words he has not a respect to the last Judg∣ment, in which all Flesh shall be Eternally sentenced either to an Immortal Life, or an Eternal Death; as if no Christian need to fear being condemn'd at that day. For there are, no doubt, many vicious and leud Chrisitians, that will be judg'd unworthy of the Name they bear, and of the Hopes that belong to it. But his meaning is, that they are absolved and

acquitted from the Sentence of Death, that Adam and his Posterity long since received; that their Souls being rescued out of his hands, who has the Power of Death, shall at the Re∣surrection return in a Triumphant manner to their Bodies again; which is the great Privi∣lege we have by Jesus Christ. For these words are an Inference from what he discoursed in the foregoing Chapter, where he consider'd and complain'd of the Misery of Man's Natu∣ral state, as we are obnoxious both to Sin and Death: Oh wretched Man that I am, who shall deliver me from the Body of this Death? Rom. 7.24. And sets before us the Goodness of our Christian state, which assures us of pure and glorious Bodies, Bodies perfectly deliver'd from Mortality, and those corrupt Affections, and Appetites, which Adam's Sin has let loose up∣on us: I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord, v. 25. So that they who are in this state, and take care to approve the things that are Excellent, that they may be sincere and without offence till the day of Christ, are in as good a condition, as if Sin and Death had never enter'd into the World: For there is no Condemnation to those that are in Christ Jesus: i.e. By Christ we are deliver'd from the Body of this Death, or this Mortal sinfull Body; And shall for ever enjoy the benefit of this De∣liverance, if we walk not after the Flesh, but after the Spirit. And in this respect Jesus Christ is styled the second Adam in opposition

to the first, from whom Sin, Mortality and Death are derived to us. That as by the Apo∣stasie of the first, we are condemned to die, by the Obedience of the second we are dis∣charged from so dreadfull a Punishment, and restored to the Hopes of living again. And this he discourses more fully in the fifth Chapter, where having observed the Calamity of that Mortal condition, we are doom'd to, by rea∣son of Adam's Transgression; he magnifies the Grace of God in this respect, That through the Redemption we have by Jesus Christ, we are deliver'd from this Effect of Adam's Of∣fence: As by the offence of one, Judgment came upon all Men to condemnation: i.e. As all Men were condemned to die for Adam's sin, even so by the Righteousness of one, the free gift came upon all Men to justification of life, v. 18. i.e. All Men were discharged from the severity of this Sentence, and allowed the liberty of pro∣viding for a Life, that is Eternal; as if they had never sinn'd, nor ever been condemn'd to die. It is true, the Apostle discourses as if it was not Adam's sin alone, but our own too are the Reason why we die; and consequently, that our Justification is not from Adam's Of∣fence only, but from those many, that we are guilty of. By one Man sin enter'd into the World, and Death by sin: and so Death passed upon all Men, for that all have sinned, v. 12. i.e. All Men die as well as Adam, because all have sinned as well as he: For untill the Law

sin was in the World. And again, Death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adam's trans∣gression, v. 13, 14. i.e. All that lived between Adam and Moses died, though they did not Transgress a positive Law as Adam did, but only sinn'd against the Law of Nature.

But if we look a little narrowly into the Apostle's discourse, the contrary will be evi∣dent. For when he instanceth in a time, when there was no Law, that condemn'd Men to die for their own Offences, his design is to prove, that the Sin and Judgment, that pass'd upon Adam, does reach to all Men: For what ac∣count else shall we give, saith he, of the Death of those, that died before the Law of Moses was given. They sinn'd, 'tis true; but that could not be the Reason why they died, because they were not under any Law, that threatned them with Death, if they sinned; and therefore since they died, it could be by vertue of no other Law, but that by which Adam was Judg'd and Condemn'd. He does say indeed, that Death pass'd upon all Men, for that all have sin∣ned: Yet Sin is not imputed where there is no Law, which was the case of all, that lived between Adam and Moses. The summ then of the Apostle's discourse is this, That Adam's Sin, and the Judgment, that was pass'd upon him, is the Reason, why all Men die; but we are not to think, that Men die only for Adam's Sin in such a sense, as if themselves were not

Sinners: For though all have sinned, yet all die because of Adam's Sin.

Obj. But if this be the meaning of the Apo∣stle, how comes it to pass, that he tells us, after∣wards, that the free gift is of many offences un∣to Justification?

Ans. To which I reply; That though by the undertaking of our gracious Mediatour, we are justified from our own particular Of∣fences; i.e. Are put into such a state, that we have no reason to fear being condemned, when we come to answer for our own Actions, if with sincerity we conform our Lives accord∣ing to the Rules of the Gospel, though we be guilty of many Errours and Mistakes: Yet it is plain from what he discoursed before, that it is Adam's Offence alone is the reason, why we die; because it is for Adam's Offence alone, that we are born Mortal, and are under a Sen∣tence of Condemnation. But by being justi∣fied from Adam's Sin and Condemnation, we, by sincerely submitting to the Law of Grace, are acquitted of all those particular Sins, that in our Natural state we are guilty of. Because Adam's Sin being the Root and Original cause of our own particular Offences, by being dis∣charged from the Punishment, that Adam's Sin brought upon Mankind, we, upon our em∣bracing the Law of Grace, are accepted by God to a liberty of working out our own Sal∣vation,

notwithstanding our own Sins. The many Offences, that the Apostle here speaks of, are those that in their Natural state Men are guilty of. For of these alone he spoke in the foregoing Verses, when for the proving it was for Adam's Transgression that we all die, he instanced in those, that lived between A∣dam and Moses, who were not under the Go∣vernment of any other Law, but that of Na∣ture; and therefore did not die for their own particular Offences. And of these he tells us the free gift is to Justification as well as of A∣dam's Sin; because by being discharged from the Punishment of Adam's Transgression, we shall not be condemned for those, that no po∣sitive Law does threaten with Death. But as for those Sins, that in our Christian; i.e. our Justified state we are guilty of, we must be justified or condemned for them by the Sen∣tence of our Mediatour according to the very Voice of the Law, that he has given us to live by.

2. Then Justification puts us into a possibi∣lity of living again after Death for ever. For since it is the taking off from us the Curse, that is come upon our Nature for the publick Transgression of our first Parents, it takes a∣way that, which is the Cause, why we die; and which, if it was not taken away, would for ever hold us in a state of Death. The Rea∣son why we die, is, because God has doom'd us to it; and that which is the Reason, why we

die, would be a Reason too, why we should never live again, if God in Mercy had not pi∣tied our Condition, and absolved us from the Guilt, for which we are condemned to die. For as it is upon the account of God's Wrath, that we die; if we had for ever lain under that Wrath, we must for ever have continued in a state of Death; i.e. according to the Sentence God had pass'd upon us, we had for∣feited the Immortality of that Life, that con∣sists in the vital Union of the Soul and Body. So that the import of the Sentence of Death, we fell under, was nothing less than an Eter∣nal separation of the Soul and Body. A Doom, that adjudged the Body to Dust for ever, and the Soul to live without its Body under the Dominion of that Evil Spirit, that seduced us, and the dreadfull Marks of the Divine displea∣sure for ever.

And as this is the meaning of that Judg∣ment to Condemnation, that is come upon all Men; so the meaning of that free gift, that is come upon all Men to Justification of Life, is the hopes of rising again to that Immortality we lost. For by Justifying us, God acquits us from the Punishment, he had condemn'd us to; and by withdrawing that Wrath from us, which sentenced us to an Eternal Dissolution of the Soul and Body, he puts us into a hopefull con∣dition of living again for ever. As when he condemn'd us, his Justice laid us under an ob∣ligation of satisfying his Wrath by a perpe∣tual

separation of our Souls from our Bodies. So when he justifies us, his Mercy re-instates us in his Favour; and by discharging us from the Curse, we are fallen under, gives us an As∣surance, that Death shall not be Eternal, but that there will come a time, when our Bodies shall come out of their Graves, and our Souls and Bodies shall happily by united again. So that,

3. Justification is an Act of mere Mercy and Goodness. It is mere Grace and Favour, that spares the Life of a Criminal, when he is condemn'd to die. For in such a case, he can have no hopes of living, unless he who has the Power of Life and Death does by reversing the Sentence save him from the Punishment. Whereas a Law, that allows him the liberty of atoning for his fault, by doing something, that shall carry Merit in it, does put it into his own Power to escape the Punishment. Now God's justifying us is not by declaring, that though we have done that, which his Law condemns, yet we have done that which ac∣cording to the Terms of his Law must acquit us; but by declaring, that though he has con∣demned us for Transgressing a Law, that threat∣ned us with Death, yet he will not inflict the Punishment upon us in its utmost rigour, but of his own Goodness will give us our Lives a∣gain. And accordingly the Apostle informs us, That after the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward Man appeared, Not by Works

of Righteousness, which we have done, but ac∣cording to his Mercy he saved us: That being justified by his Grace, we should be made Heirs according to the Hope of Eternal life, Tit. 3.4, 5, 7. In which words he informs us, that we are not justified as Innocent persons, or such as having merited our own Lives, cannot be condemn'd without Injustice. Not by Works of Righteousness, which we have done; i.e. Not because we have done nothing worthy of Death, or having deserved to die, have expia∣ted our faults by some meritorious Works. For Justice it self is no dreadfull thing to those, that have not deserved to die, or that have me∣rited their Lives. The former way we all should have been Justified, if we had not lost our Inno∣cency; for then it would have been by reward∣ing an innocent and sinless Creature with a le∣gal Recompence, the adjudging a Creature, who had not merited Death, to an Immortal state. And the latter was the way, that the Jews depended upon; who were persuaded that their legal Services were highly meritorious in the sight of God. The Vanity of which per∣suasion St. Paul does frequently expose; and lets us know, that we are Heirs of Life upon no other account, but because the kindness and love of God our Saviour hath appear'd to us; and because Mercy and Grace have inter∣posed in our favour, and the forfeiture of Eter∣nal life is remitted to us. And accordingly the Gospel is not only styled The Gospel, and

Word of Grace; i.e. That Dispensation, where∣in God does make known his abundant Good∣ness to us, whom his Justice had doom'd to die; or that Revelation wherein he acquaints us with his good will to us in remitting the ri∣gour of that Punishment, we are condemned to suffer. But Eternal life; i.e. The life we shall live after the Resurrection has united our Souls to our Bodies again, is styled the Gift of God, to inform us, that all the Hopes we have of living after Death does depend upon the good pleasure of God.

The Immortality, 'tis true, which was to have been the Reward of Adam's Innocency, was the Gift of God too. For no Creature can be Immortal, but whom God makes so: But yet an innocent Man was both capable of Im∣mortality, and would have had a legal Right to it as the Reward of his Innocency. But God's justifying a Criminal, Condemned Race, is his removing a legal incapacity for Eternal life, be∣fore we can be in a condition of receiving it as a Reward for any thing we can do.

Obj. The Scripture, 'tis true, ascribes our Justification to Faith: And if Faith be the Rea∣son or Condition of our Justification, how can that be the sole Act of God's Mercy, which is not grant∣ed us but upon such a Condition?

Ans. To which I reply; That our Justifi∣cation is of two kinds: The one is from the

Judgment, that is come upon us to Condem∣nation; The other is to that Eternal life, which in this we are Probationers for. The former is by way of mere Grace and Favour, not by Works of Righteousness, which we have done, and is the foundation of that Hope, which is the Motive wherewith our Religion persuades us to a Holy Life. And this our Saviour styles a passing from Death unto Life, or to a Liberty to take care of our Lives again. The other is in a legal way, by those Works of Righteousness, that the Law of Grace, we are obliged to live by, does require of us. The benefit of the for∣mer we enjoy in this Life, as it puts us into such a Condition, that we may labour in hope: The other is what we expect when our Lord shall come the second time unto the Everlast∣ing Salvation of his faithfull Servants. And this is the meaning of the Apostle, when he saith, The free gift is come upon all Men unto Justification of life. Where, by the free gift, we are to understand God's mercifull acquit∣ting us from the Judgment, that in Adam came upon all Men; And this free gift is come upon all Men, that by living according to the Gospel, we might provide for Eternal life; and at the last be justified or declared meet to be parta∣kers of Eternal life according to the Terms of this New Covenant, by which we are to work out our Salvation. The summ then of this matter is this:

1. That upon the account, and for the sake of his Son's Death, God of his mere Goodness has remitted the Sentence of Death, that we, as Adam's Posterity, are born under. And thus we are in a Justified state here in this Life. Thus St. Paul tells us, We are justified freely by his Grace through the Redemption, that is by Jesus Christ, whom God hath set forth to be a propitia∣tion through Faith in his Blood, to declare his Righteousness, that he might be just, and the ju∣stifier of him, that believeth in Jesus, Rom. 4.25, 26. Where the Apostle makes our Justifi∣cation to be that Act of his Goodness, where∣by through the Mediation of his Son he dis∣charges us from the Obligation to suffer Eter∣nal Death, that his Justice had laid us under. The only difficulty in these words is, That the Apostle seems to make Faith the Condition of our Justification; saying, Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through Faith in his Blood. But the meaning is not, That God does only pardon those that believe; for how then could our Saviour tell us, That all, that are in their Graves, shall hear his voice; and that those, that have done ill, shall come forth, as well as those, that have done well. Which im∣plies, that all Men are thus far Pardon'd: For none, that are condemn'd to die, can have their Lives given them again, but by vertue of a Pardon. But the meaning is, That God set forth his Son to render him so propitious to us, as to accept of the Righteousness, that is

by Faith, to our Everlasting Justification. So that,

2. Being thus by the Divine Mercy put in∣to a Justified state, God has given us a new Law, by which, he expects for the time to come, we should govern our Lives.

3. That the Righteousness, which God ac∣cepts of, and will reward with Eternal life, is the Conformity of our Lives to this new Law of Faith, that he has given us.

4. That at the last we must undergo a pub∣lick Trial, when the Justice of our Mediatour will declare those to be Just and Righteous, who live according to this Rule. So that the Justification, that is by Faith, does properly relate to the Sentence of our Mediatour, where∣by at the Day of Judgment he will declare the sincere Observers of his Will to be Righteous. And therefore the Apostle saith, We are justi∣fied freely by his Grace; i.e. Have our Lives, which we had forfeited in Adam, restored us in Christ, that he might be Just, and the Justi∣fier of him that believes: i.e. That his justi∣fying the sincere Christian at the last might be an Act of his Justice: Or, that when we come to be Judged at the last day, Justice may de∣clare the Righteousness of the sincere Christi∣an. So that the Justification that is by Faith, denotes a freedom from the Danger of that se∣cond Death, that the Gospel threatens those, that disobey it with. It is a second discharge from another kind of Punishment, than that

we are condemn'd to as the Sons of Adam, and does suppose us to be in a Justified state from the Judgment, that by one Man's offence is come upon all Men: Or rather it is God's owning our Righteousness to be according to the Gospel Rule; that Righteousness, I mean, which has the promise of Eternal life.

Obj. If it be said, that according to this ac∣count, no Man is justified by Faith at all in this life, but that all the privilege we can be said to have by believing is, that we shall be justified at the Day of Judgment; whereas the Scripture speaks of it as a privilege that belongs to our Faith in this life.

Ans. I answer; That it no otherwise be∣longs to it, than as it gives a Right to, and as∣sures us of it, when our Gracious Mediatour shall come to Judge us. Faith, I mean the be∣lieving the Gospel to be the Rule of our Righte∣ousness, and living according to it, is the ful∣filling of that Law of Grace, that our Saviour has instituted; and accordingly this Law does justifie those, that thus fulfill it in this life; i.e. It denounces no Judgment against them. But who have this Faith, that the Law of Christ approves of, and promises Eternal life to, and who want it, will be the work of the future Judgment to discover. So long as we live by the Rules of the Gospel, this Law of Christian Righteousness does assure us, that the Reward

it promises does belong to us; i.e. that we have a Right to it. But whether we shall re∣ceive it, does not depend upon the present Sen∣tence it gives of our case, but upon that which will be pass'd, when the time of our Trial is over. For the Faith, which is said to justifie us, may be renounced, and the Gospel diso∣bey'd; and in this case we cannot be said to be in a Justified state by vertue of the Faith, we once had, or the Obedience we once paid to the Gospel. It justifies the goodness of our Lives for the time past, if they have been ac∣cording to this word of Faith; but whether it will justifie us to Eternal life, is not to be said till we have finish'd our Course and stood our Trial. So that this is not the Justification, which we have by vertue of Christ's Media∣tion; For that is a State we are already put into, and is a Blessing that belongs to us in this life; whereas this is a State, we shall be put into, when we are judged again.

4. Then Justification is a state of Trial, how we will use so great Mercy as God vouchsafes us therein. For had there not been a Reversal of the Sentence, that doom'd us to die, we must have died without Mercy, and without Hopes of ever living again. Then all our Prayers and Tears and Repentance would have been of no advantage to us for the bettering our Condition, and preserving us from Death: But Justice would require that we should suffer the Punishment, we were condemn'd to. Judg∣ment

being given upon us, there remained no∣thing but a fearfull looking for of the Execu∣tion of it, which all the most earnest Sollici∣tations and Entreaties, we could make, would not have saved us from. For to be in a Con∣demn'd state, is to be Dead in Law; And he that is in such a condition, has lost his oppor∣tunity of preserving himself by obeying the Law, that has already condemned him. Such was our case, when God had given Sentence upon us; for then it was too late to think of preventing our dying Eternally, and falling un∣der God's Wrath, when we were already un∣der it.

But by acquitting us from this Sentence, he had set Life and Immortality before us again, and puts us to a new Trial, whether we will grow wise by so great a danger, as we have escaped, and take warning by the Judgment, that came upon us in Adam, to save our selves for the future from the Wrath to come. It is a very great mistake, if we believe our being in a Justified state does certainly assure to us an Immortal life; and is a Reason, why we may be confident, that we shall not be con∣demned in the Judgment to come. There would be no reason of another day of Judg∣ment, if Justification did import thus much: Neither is St. Paul to be understood in this sense, when he saith, Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's Elect? It is God that ju∣stifieth, who is he that condemneth? Rom. 8.33,

34. For his design was to encourage the Christians of his time to a stedfastness in the Faith, notwithstanding the Rage and Violence of their Persecutours. For though they were condemned and put to Death for the sake of Christ, yet the Sentence of their Enemies sig∣nified nothing to, and could do them no great hurt, because it took away a life, that God would restore them with advantage. It is God that justifies; and since he has so far remitted his own Sentence, that you shall rise again, who is he that condemneth, or presumes to take away your life? He delivers you over to a Death, that will not hold you long, because God has justified you. Justification then as∣sures us, that we shall rise again, though Di∣vine Justice has condemn'd us to die: But it does not assure us, that we shall certainly live for ever, when we are risen, because that de∣pends upon the Improvement, we make of the Mercy God has shown us. For unless we be so qualified, as the Gospel requires we should, we must be condemned, and die another Death. The state, that Adam was created in, was a state of Trial. For though he was Innocent, and consequently free from all the vexation and perplexity, that Guilt occasions; yet he was neither so perfect nor so happy, as God designed he should make himself. The Inno∣cence, in which he was created, does not im∣ply, that he was made as perfect, and as ex∣cellent a Creature, as if was possible for him

to be: I mean, that his Soul was so stored with all Spiritual and Divine Perfections, that he could not possibly by Improvement make himself a more noble and excellent Creature than he was. He had, without question, all those Perfections, that are Natural, otherwise he could not have been sufficiently qualified for such an Improvement of himself, as God expected from him. He was, I mean, perfect∣ly free from that Cloudiness of Mind, that suf∣fers us not to discern things, as they are, and had none of that false Biass upon his Will, as renders a vertuous Course difficult to us. But yet these Natural Perfections were capable of Improvement. For though as he was no way disposed to Vice, so he wanted those dispositi∣ons to Vertue and Goodness, which are not acquired but by repeated Acts; and which when they are laid in the Mind, do give Rea∣son a greater strength and vigour, and do the more readily turn the Will to the Approbation and Choice of Vertue. Now that this Improve∣ment of his Mind to such a confirm'd state, that Temptations should neither hurt nor reach him, was his business, is evident from that Threat of being hurl'd into a Mortal state, if he dis∣obeyed the Law of his Maker, that the Scrip∣ture gives us an account of.

This shows that he was a Probationer for Immortality, and that this was to be the Re∣ward of his Labour, when by the Practice of Divine Vertues, he had exalted his Nature to

an Impeccable state; I mean, when he had laid such strong Inclinations to Vertue in his Mind, as to live in the Practice of it by a Na∣tural disposition.

And as this was the state, Adam was created in, and is the Natural state of all Mankind, be∣cause the Powers of our Nature, if there was no Corruption in us, are not so pure and ex∣cellent, but they may be still Exalted; The mischief, that Sin let in upon us, was the put∣ting an End to this state, by subjecting us to the Wrath of God. For when God gave Judg∣ment upon Adam, had not his Mercy laid a design to recover us, all hopes of advancing our selves to an Immortal state, had been at an End. And considering how low our Souls sunk into Sensuality by yielding to the Temp∣tation, that undid us, there was no Moral pos∣sibility, that we should raise our Nature, so corrupted, to a state of Impeccability again. So that the Judgment that God gave upon us, and the state he doomed us to, was no other than the Natural consequence of our Apostasie. Upon which account we have no Reason to complain, that he has dealt severely with us in condemning us for one Sin, because that one Sin put us into such a condition, that we could never have improved our Nature to such an Excellency as Innocent Man might, and was required to do. Men are very apt to think it hard, that God should give such a Sentence upon Adam, and in him upon us, as took from

us the liberty of trying, whether we could recover, what he had lost, and by a greater Application of our Minds over-come all those mighty Difficulties, that Sin had laid in our way to the Perfection, we were to aspire after. But they, who think it hard, do not consider the waste, that Sin had made in our Natural Powers; and that it would have been no kind∣ness to have tried us any longer in that way, as Adam was to have improved himself, but a Cruelty; because we could not. For it would have been a very hard thing to have held us to that Duty, which we are utterly disabled for.

And now since it was upon these Terms, that God plac'd Man in this World, and the Du∣ties of our entire Nature were become Morally impossible, when he determined to put us up∣on another Trial, he justified us from the Sen∣tence, that he had passed upon us for our Mis∣carriage in the first. And this I take to be the great Blessing and Advantage of our being in a Justified state; That being discharged from Death as a Punishment of Sin, i.e. from the Eternity of it, we are tried by the Divine Mercy, whether the Hopes of Immortality will yet make us dutifull and obedient to him. God's justifying us is to put us into our Origi∣nal state of Probation for an Immortal Life. For as his condemning us put an End to this state, because they, whom he condemns, have lost the opportunity for Improvement: So his

Pardoning takes off the Impediment to Im∣provement, and puts Life again into our hands to take care of. But when, I say, it puts us into our Original state, I do not mean that, which Adam was in, before he sinn'd; for such an Improvement as he was capable of making, before Sin had corrupted his Nature, is not pos∣sible to us. But the Original state, I speak of, is that of being Probationers for Heaven, though the Trial, we are put to, is suited to the infirmity of our Condition. It is not ex∣pected, that we should live as Innocent Man might have done, nor improve as he ought to have done; for God has condescended to such a Righteousness, as our maimed Powers are a∣ble to reach to. A Righteousness, that is by Faith; and it is expected, that we should be sincere and hearty in our Obedience to this Law of Grace, though we cannot arrive in this Life to such a state of Impeccability, which was the Work, and was to be the Aim of In∣nocent Man. And to this purpose we are Ex∣horted to work out our Salvation, and by a pa∣tient continuance in well-doing to seek for Glory and Immortality; which, and many other pla∣ces of Scripture, would be insignificant, if we were not to consider this Life as a state of Trial. For to what purpose are the Exhortations of this Nature, if we must still die as condemn'd Criminals, that have no right to Life at all? When therefore these Exhortations are made to us, they suppose, we are discharged from

the Sentence, that will not let us live; and that if we make but a good use of this Mercy, the former Sentence will not be rigorously execu∣ted upon us; but that we shall live again, and when we do live again, shall be Immortal. But if we neglect so great Salvation, and continue to preferr the Pleasures and Enjoyments of a Sensual life, before the Joys and Glories of an Immortal state, though we do not suffer the Death, we are doom'd to, when God so solemn∣ly Judg'd Adam to die; yet, which is worse, even after we are risen to Life again, we must undergo a second Judgment, and be condemn'd to die a second time.