Chap. i 2. and the Covenant ;o f Grace. natty which the Law impofeth; fo in all penal( lawes when the penalty is borne, the delinquent is difcharged. Man cannot be acquitted as innocent, his guilt is too palpable. There is no man that finneth not, fo faith Solomon, a Kings 8.4, 6. The Scripture bath concluded all under fin,Gal.3.22. The Law fpeaks that language, that every mouth may ftopped, and all the World may become guilty before God, Rom, 3. 19. Man is under that guilt that he is wholly filenced ; This renders the way of falvation by works im- poffible. Neither can he be acquitted byway of fatisfafion; where the way of pure juflice is held, the debtor under charge can never come out till he bath paid the uttermoft farthing, Mat. 5.`26. Which here amounts to fuch an height, that man may be ever paying, but never able to fatisfie : our guilt is according to the majefty of him, whofe Law is tranfgrefled, and wrath incur- red. This is feene in Devils and damned fouls, who bear in their . own perfons the reward due to their fins. That man that muff: fuffer it in his own perfon, may well fay with Caine, My punifh- ment is greater then I can bear, Gen. q.. t 3. Thirdly , lean in this fad and perplexed eftate, hath yet a righteoaafre f)"e of {race tendered him, a righteoufne f fe without the Law, but wjtnefj'ed by the Lazy and the Prophets, Rom. 3. 21. And this is bywayof difchargeof his guilt by anothers fuffering; our Ì name was in the Obligation in cafe of fin to fuffer death Chrift was pleafed (by confent.and Covenant with the Father) to put i in his; and as he was thus obliged, fo he fu, ffered, the ju/t for the unjufl, that he might bring ut to God, z Pet. 3. i S. We brake the Law, and he bore the penalty, whether idem or tantundem,the fame in fpecie, or the fame in value, is fcarce worth difpute; so that it be yeelded that juftice was anfwered, and the Father fa- tisfied, and that we come out not on our own but our fureties account. And this (as I yet conceive) by Chriffs obedience; his fuffering in the flefh is our freedome, his death is our ranfome. IThere needs no more then innocengwwt to die, and when guilt is taken away, weBand as innocent, no crime then can be char- ged upon us. But to reigne in life (as the Apoftle fpeaks) to in - ¡ herit a crown there , is farther expected , which we not reach- ing, Chrifls activeobedience fupplied to us, not adding to ours f (but being in it fell compleat) is accounted oursftand. imputed to us. L 3: Aaxd L 77
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