that they were made possessors of the land, so it | his suretiship laid himself under an obligation to was not for the sake of their righteousness, that they were made partakers of such a righteousness that did make them possess the land. This is plain to reason; for then inherent or inherent and personal righteousness, when by us performed, is of worth to obtain of God a justifying righteousness. But if it be of worth to obtain a justifying righteousness, then it seems, it is more commodious to both parties than is justifying righteousness. First, it is more commodious to him that worketh it, for by it he obtaineth everlasting righteousness; and secondly, it is more commodious unto him that receiveth it, else why doth he for it give us a due debt, and so put upon us the everlasting justifying righteousness. Perhaps it will be objected, that God doth all this of grace; but I answer, that these are but fallacious words, spake by the tongue of the crafty. For we are not now discoursing of what rewards God can give to the operations of his own grace in us, but whether he can in a way of justice, or how he will, bestow any spiritual blessings upon sinful creatures, against whom, for sin, he has pronounced the curse of the law, before he hath found them in a righteousness, that is proved to be as good justice and righteousness, as is the justice and righteousness of the law, with which we have to do. bring in, in time, for those for whom he became a Now a promise of remission of sins supposeth a righteousness, a righteousness going before; for there is no forgiveness of sins, nor promise of forgiveness, but for the sake of righteousness: but not for the sake of righteousness that shall be by us, but that is already found in Christ as head, and so imputed to the elect for their remission. God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you.' Ep. iv. 32. For Christ's sake; that is, for the sake of the righteousness of Christ. Therefore imputed I assert he cannot, because he cannot lie, because righteousness must be first; yca, it must be before he cannot deny himself: For if he should first forgiveness, and forgiveness is extended by God, threaten the transgression of the law with death, then when we lie in our blood, though to us it is and yet afterwards receive the transgressor to manifested afterwards.* . Therefore it is of faith, grace, without a plenary satisfaction, what is this he saith not BY it, respecting the act of faith; but but to lie, and to diminish his truth, righteousness, of, respecting the doctrine or word which presenteth and faithfulness; yea, and also to overthrow theme with this blessed imputed righteousness: They sanction and perfect holiness of his law. His that are of faith, are the children of faithful Abramercy therefore must act so towards this sinner, ham.' They that are of the doctrine of faith, for that justice may be content, and that can never be, all the elect are the sons of that doctrine in which without a justifying righteousness. is this righteousness of Christ contained; yea, they are begotten by it of God to this inheritance, to their comfortable enjoyment of the comfort of it by faith. Now what this justifying righteousness should be, and when imputed, that is the question. I say, it is the righteousness or the obedience of the Son of God in the flesh, which he assumed, and so his own, and the righteousness of no body else, otherwise than by imputation. I say again, that this righteousness must be imputed first, that the sinner may stand just in God's sight from the curse, and that God might deal with him both in a way of justice as well as mercy, and yet do the sinner no harm. But you may ask, How did God deal with sinners before this righteousness was actually in being? I answer, He did then deal with sinners even as he dealeth with them now; he justifieth them by it, by virtue of the suretiship of him that was to bring it in. Christ became surety for us, and by That the promise might be sure to all the seed;' to all them wrapped up in the promise, and so begotten and born. That it might be sure, implying that there is no certain way of salvation for the elect but this, because God can never by * As the disobedience of the first Adam is imputed to all his natural posterity, and brings death upon all; so the rightcousness of the second Adam is imputed to all his spiritual progeny, to obtain life for them. As the carnal Adam, lost original righteousness, derives a corrupt nature to all his descendants; so the spiritual Adam, by his obedience, conveys which anointed our Redeemer doth quicken all his race, that a vital efficacy of grace to us. The same Spirit of holiness as they have borne the image of the earthly, THEY may henceforth bear the image of the heavenly Adam.-Ryland. doubt for sinners. And how must it be reckoned to them? when in circumcision or in uncircumcision; not in circumcision, but in uncircumcision; not as righteous, but as sinners. And how are they to consider of themselves, even then when they first are apprehensive of their need of this righteousness? Are they to think, that they are righteous or sinners. And again, How are they to believe concerning themselves, then when they put forth the first act of faith towards this righteousness for justification? Are they to think, that they are righteous or sinners? Sinners, sinners doubtless they are to reckon themselves, and as such to reckon themselves justified by this righteousness. And this is according to the sentence of God, as appeareth by such sayings. other means reconcile us to himself; for his hea- | world for, for the righteous or for sinners? no venly eyes perceive through and through the silly cobweb righteousness that we work; yea, they spy faults and sins in the best of our gospel performances. How then can God put any trust in such people, or how can remission be extended to us for the sake of that? Yea, our faith is faulty, and also imperfect; how then should remission be extended to us for the sake of that? But now the righteousness of Christ is perfect, perpetual and stable as the great mountains, wherefore he is called the rock of our salvation, because a man may as soon tumble the mountains before him, as one would tumble a little ball, I say, as soon as sin can make invalid the righteousness of Christ, when, and unto whom, God shall impute it for justice. Ps. xxxvi. 6. In the margin it is said, to be like the mountain of God; to wit, that is called Mount Zion, or that Moriah on which the temple was built, and upon which it stood: All other bottoms are fickle, all other righteousnesses are so feeble, short, narrow, and thin, yea, so specked and full of imperfections. For what the law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh,' Christ did for us in the similitude of sinful flesh. But what could not the law do? Why it could not give us righteousness, nor strengthen us to perform it. It could not give us any certain, solid, well-grounded hope of remission of sin and salvation, but the bringing in of a better hope did, by the which we draw nigh unto God.' Wherefore this righteousness being imputed, justice findeth no fault therewith, but consenteth to the extending to the sinner those blessings that tend to perfect his happiness in the heavens. 8. Righteousness by imputation must be first, That in all things he (Christ) might have the pre-eminence.' Christ is head of the church, and therefore let him have the highest honour in the soul; but how can he have that, if any precede as to justification, before his perfect righteousness be imputed? If it be said, grace may be in the soul, though the soul doth not act it, until the moment that justifying righteousness shall be imputed. I ask, What should it do there before, or to what purpose is it there, if it be not acted? And again, how came it thither, how got the soul possession of it, while it was unjustified? Or, How could God in justice give it to a person, that by the law stood condemned, before they were quitted from that condemnation? And I say, nothing can set the soul free from that curse, but the perfect obedience of Christ; nor that either, if it be not imputed for that end to the sinner by the grace of God. Imputed, that is, reckoned, or accounted to him. And why should it not be accounted to him for righteousness? Who did Christ bring it into the 'For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly.' 'But God commended his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.' For if when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son,' &c. Ro. v. 6, 8, 10. Out of these words I gather these three things. 1. That Christ by God's appointment died for us. 2. That by his death he reconciled us to God. 3. That even then, when the very act of reconciliation was in performing, and also when performed, we were ungodly, sinners, enemies. Now the act by which we are said to be reconciled to God while ungodly, while sinners, and while enemies, was Christ's offering himself a sacrifice for us, which is, in the words above-mentioned, called his death. Christ died, Christ died for the ungodly, Christ died for us while sinners. Christ reconciled us to God by his death. And just as here Christ is said to die for us, so the Father is said to impute righteousness to us; to wit, as we are without works, as we are ungodly: Now to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness.' Ro. iv. 5. He worketh not, but is ungodly, when this gracious act of God, in imputing of the righteousness of Christ to him, is extended, the which when he shall believe, his faith is counted to him for righteousness. And why should we not have the benefit of the righteousness, while we are ungodly, since it was completed for us while we were yet ungodly? Yea, we have the benefit of it: For when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son.' Ro. v. 10. When I say, the benefit, I mean that benefit that we are capable of, and that is justification be fore God; for that a man may be capable of while | faith and so consequently the habit of every grace, he is in himself ungodly, because this justice comes may be in us, acting in us, before Christ's righteto him by the righteousness of another. True, was ousness be by God imputed to us, then we are not it to be his own righteousness by which he was to justified as sinners and ungodly: but as persons be justified, he should not could not so be, as or inherently holy and righteous before. while he is ungodly. But the righteousness is Christ's, and that imputed by God, not as a reward for work, or of debt, but freely by his grace, to the glory of it, and therefore may be done, and is so, while the person concerned is without works, ungodly, and a sinner. And he that denieth that we are capable of this benefit while we are sinners and ungodly, may with like reason deny that we are created beings. For that which is done for a man without him, may be done for him, not only at any time which they that do it shall appoint, but for him while in any condition in this world. While a man is a beggar, may not I make him worth ten thousand a year, if I can and will; yea and yet he shall not know thereof in that moment that I make him so? yet the revenue of that estate shall really be his from the moment that I make him so, and he shall know it too at the rent-day. This is the case, we are sinners and ungodly; there is a righteousness wrought out by Jesus Christ, the which God hath designed we shall be made righteous by; and by it, if he will impute it to us, we shall be righteous in his sight, even then when we are yet ungodly in ourselves; for he justifies the ungodly.' Now though it is irregular and blame-worthy in man to justify the wicked, because he cannot for the wicked provide, and clothe him with a justifying righteousness; yet it is glorious and for ever worthy of praise for God to do it; because it is in his power not only to forgive, but to make a man righteous, even then when he is a sinner, and to justify him, as afore is proved, while he is ungodly. Objection. But it may be yet objected, That though God has received satisfaction for sin, and so sufficient terms of reconciliation by the obedience and death of his Son, yet he imputeth it not unto us but upon condition of our becoming good. Answ. This must not be admitted: For, 1. The scripture saith not so; but that we are reconciled to God by the death of his Son, and justified too, and that while, or when we are sinners and ungodly. 2. If this objection carrieth the truth in it, then it follows, that the Holy Ghost, faith, and so all grace, may be given to us, and we may have it dwelling in us, yea, acting in us, before we stand righteous in the judgment of the law before God; for nothing can make us stand just before God in the judgment of the law, but the obedience of the Son of God without us. And if the Holy Ghost, VOL. II. But I have over and over already shewed you, that this cannot be, therefore righteousness for justification must be imputed first. And here let me present the reader with two or three things. (1.) That justification before God is one thing; and justification to the understanding and conscience is another. Now, I am treating of justification before God, not of it as to man's understanding and conscience, and I say, a man may be justified before God, even then when himself knoweth nothing thereof, Is. xl. 2. Mat. ix. 2. and so when and while he hath not faith about it, but is ungodly. (2.) There is a justification by faith, by faith's applying of that righteousness to the understanding and conscience, which God hath afore of his grace imputed for righteousness to the soul for justification in his sight. And this is that by which we, as to sense and feeling, have peace with God: Being justified by faith we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.' Ro. v. 1. And these two the Apostle keepeth distinct, a little lower in this chapter: for after that he had said in the tenth verse, that while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son:' He addeth, ‘And not only so, but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the atonement.' ver. 11. Here you see that to be reconciled to God by the death of his Son, is one thing; and for us actually, for that I think he aimeth at, to receive by faith, this reconciliation, is another. That is a thing over and above, and not only so, but we have received the atonement. (3.) Men do not gather their justification from God's single act of imputing of righteousness, that we might stand clear in his sight from the curse and judgment of the law; but from the word, the which they neither see nor understand, till it is brought to their understanding by the light and glory of the Holy Ghost. We are not therefore in the ministry of the word to pronounce any man justified, from a supposition that God has imputed righteousness to him, since that act is not known to us, until the fruits that follow thereupon do break out before our eyes; to wit, the signs and effects of the Holy Ghost's indwelling in our souls. And then we may conclude it; that is, that such a one stands just before God, yet not for the sake of his inherent righteousness, nor yet for the fruits thereof, and so not for the sake of the act of faith, but for the sake of Jesus Christ his doing and suffering for us. Nor will it avail to object, That if at first we 2 K stand just before God by his imputing of Christ's righteousness unto us, though faith be not in us to act, we may always stand justified so; and so what need of faith? For therefore are we justified, first, by the imputation of God, as we are ungodly, that thereby we might be made capable of receiving of the Holy Ghost, and his graces in a way of righteousness and justice. Besides, God will have those that he shall justify by his grace through the redemption that is in Jesus Christ, to have the Holy Ghost, and so faith, that they may know and believe the things not only that shall be, but that already ARE, freely given to us of God. Now, says Paul, 'we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God.' 1 Co. ii. 12. To know, that is, to believe. It is given to you to believe, who believe according to the working of his mighty power, and we have known and believed the love that God hath to us,' preceding to our believing. 1 Jn. iv. 16. He then that is justified by God's imputation, shall believe by the power of the Holy Ghost; for that must come, and work faith, and strengthen the soul to act it, because imputed righteousness has gone before. He then that believeth shall be saved; for his believing is a sign, not a cause, of his being made righteous before God by imputation: And he that believeth not shall be damned, because his non-belief is a sign that he is not righteous, and a cause that his sins abide upon him. And thus much for the Pharisee, and for his information; and now I come to that part of the text which remains, which part in special respecteth the Publican. What this Publican was, I have shewed you, both with respect to his nation, office, and disposition. Wherefore I shall not here trouble the reader as to that, with a second rehearsal of these things; we now therefore come to his repentance in the whole and in the parts of it; concerning which I shall take notice of several things, some more remote, and some more near to the matter and life of it. But first let us see how thwart and cross the Pharisee and the Publican did lie in the temple one to another, while they both were presenting of their prayers to God. First, The Pharisee he goes in boldly, fears nothing, but trusteth in himself that his state is good, that God loves him, and that there was no doubt to be made but of his good speed in this his religious enterprize. But alas! poor Publican, he sneaks, he lears, he is hardly able to crawl into the temple, and when he comes there, stands behind, a loof off, as one not worthy to approach the divine presence. Second, The Pharisce at his approach hath his mouth full of something, yea of many fine things, whereby he strokes himself over the head, and in effect calls himself, and that in his presence, one of God's white boys, that always kept close to his will, abode with him; or as the prodigal's brother said, 'Lo, these many years do I serve thee, neither transgressed I at any time thy commandment;' Lu. xv. 29. But alas! poor Publican, thy guilt, as to these pleas, stops thy mouth, thou hast not one good thing to say of thyself, not one rag of righteousness; thy conversation tells thee so, thy conscience tells thee so; yea, and if thou shouldest now attempt to set a good face on it, and for thy credit say something after the Pharisee in way of thine own commendations, yet here is God on the one side, the Pharisee on the other, together with thine own heart to give thee check, to rebuke thee, to condemn thee, and to lay thee even with the ground for thy insolency. Third, The Pharisee in his approach to God, wipes his fingers of the Publican's enormities, will not come nigh him, lest he should defile him with his beastly rags: I am not as other men are, or even as this Publican.' But the poor Publican, alas for him, his fingers are not clean, nor can he tell how to make them so; besides, he meekly and quietly puts up this reflection of the Pharisee upon him, and by silent behaviour, justifies the severe sentence of that self-righteous man, concluding with him, that for his part, he is wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked, and not worthy to come nigh, or to stand by, so good, so virtuous, so holy, and so deserving a man as our spangling Pharisee is. Fourth, The Pharisee, as at feasts and synagogues, chose the chief and first place for his person, and for his prayer, counting that the Publican was not meet, ought not to presume to let his stinking breath once come out of his polluted lips in the temple, till he had made his holy prayer. And poor Publican, how dost thou hear and put up this with all other affronts, counting even as the Pharisee counted of thee, that thou wast but a dog in comparison of him, and therefore not fit to go before, but to come as in chains, behind, and forbear to present thy mournful and *debrorous sup * 'Debrorous,' probably a misprint for 'dolorous,' sorrowful or dismal. 'Through many a dark and dreary vale They passed, and many a region dolorous.'-Milton. plication to the holy God, till he had presented him with his, in his own conceit, brave, gay, and fine oration. Fifth, The Pharisee, as he is numerous in his repeating of his good deeds, so is stiff in standing to them, bearing up himself, that he hath now sufficient foundation on which to bear up his soul against all the attempts of the law, the devil, sin and hell. But alas, poor Publican! Thou standest naked; nay, worse than naked; for thou art clothed with filthy garments, thy sins cover thy face with shame: nor hast thou in, from, or of thyself, any defence from, or shelter against the attempts, assaults, and censures of thy ghostly enemies, but art now in thine own eyes, though in the temple, cast forth into the open field stark naked, to the loathing of thy person, as in the day that thou wast born, and there ready to be devoured or torn in pieces for thy transgressions against thy God. What wilt thou do Publican! What wilt thou do! Come, let's see, which way wilt thou begin to address thyself to God; bethink thyself man, has thou any thing to say, speak out man, the Pharisce by this time has done, and received his sentence. Make an O yes;* let all the world be silent; yea, let the angels of heaven come near and listen; for the Publican is come to have to do with God! Yea, is come from the receipt of custom into the temple to pray to him. 'And the Publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner.' And is this thy way poor Publican! O cunning sinner! O crafty Publican! thy wisdom has outdone the Pharisee, for it is better to apply ourselves to God's mercy, than to trust to our selves that we are righteous. But that the Publican did hit the mark, yea, get nearer unto, and more into the heart of God and his Son than did the Pharisee, the sequel of the matter will make manifest. Take notice then of this profound speech of the Publican, every word is heavier than the earth, and has more argument in it, than has ten thousand pharisaical prayers. 'God be merciful to me a sinner.' Yea, the Son of God was so delighted with this prayer, that for the sake of it, he, even as a limner, draweth out the Publican in his manner of standing, behaviour, gestures, &c. while he makes this prayer to God: Wherefore we will take notice both of the one and of the other; for surely his gestures put lustre unto his prayer and repentance. FIRST, His prayer you see is this, 'God be mereiful to me a sinner.' 'Make an O yes,' alluding to the form of proclamation at sessions of the peace-'Oyer,' the French for 'Hear,' now corrupted to 'O yes.'-ED. First, In his taken notice of. [His Confession.] confession divers things are to be As, 1. The fairness and simplicity of his confession: A sinner: I am a sinner; God be merciful to me a sinner.' This indeed he was, and this indeed confesses; and this, I say, he doth of godly simplicity. For, for a man to confess himself a sinner, it is to speak all against himself that can be spoken. And man, as degenerate, is too much an hypocrite, and too much a self-flatterer, thus to confess against himself, unless made simple and honest about the thing through the power of conviction upon his heart. And it is yet worth your noting, that he doth not say he was, or had been, but that at that time his state was such, to wit, a sinner. 'God be merciful to me a sinner,' or who am, and now stand before thee a sinner, or, in my sins. Now a little to shew you what it is to be a sinner; for every one that sinneth may not in a proper sense be called a sinner. Saints, the sanctified in Christ Jesus, do often sin, but it is not proper to call them sinners: But here the Publican calls himself a sinner; and therefore in effect, calls himself an evil tree, one that hath neither good nature, nor that beareth good fruit: one whose body and soul is polluted, whose mind and conscience is defiled: one who hath 'walked according to the course of this world, and after the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience.' They having their minds at enmity with or against God, and are taken captive by the devil at his will. A sinner, one whose trade hath been in and about sin, and the works of Satan all his days. Thus he waves all pleas, and shews of pleas, and stoops his neck immediately to the block. Though he was a base man, yet he might have had pleas; pleas, I say, as well as the Pharisee, though not so many, yet as good. He was of the stock of Abraham, a Jew, an Israelite of the Israelites, and so a privileged man in the things and religion of the Jews, else what doth he do in the temple? Yea, why did not the Pharisee, if he was a heathen, lay that to his charge while he stood before |